


An Interlude

by VaderzGirl



Series: An Interlude [1]
Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Porn With Plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2019-05-07 07:07:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 73,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14665905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VaderzGirl/pseuds/VaderzGirl
Summary: A couple of months have passed since Detective Nadezhda Volkov helped Unit Bravo capture Murphy, and she's found her groove with the team. A certain broody vampire has been driving her mad, however, with all of his teasing. When an accident brings Dezh's feelings to the fore, temperatures soar...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> After playing Wayhaven Chronicles repeatedly, I felt the need to give some relief to a certain female detective and her tormentor, Mason. As someone who requires some plot with my porn, I had to find a trigger for what happens between them. 
> 
> What was meant to be a quick little smutfic has now ballooned into a 79-page monstrosity that's only about half finished. For now, I'm only posting two chapters of it, since they are acceptably self-contained. If there's interest, I will post more and finish the storyline I created for Unit Bravo for no other reason than to get FemDectective and Mason into bed. ;-)

 

 

**_Chapter 1_**  
  
Another night, another boring patrol.  
  
Detective Dezh Volkov sighed as she made her way down the dark street,  
glancing up only momentarily at the orange-tinged lights flickering above.  
It seemed every third street light was out completely, and the rest had  
failing bulbs. If no one took care of the problem soon, every bloody  
streetlight in the town’s center would be out, leaving naught but darkness.  
Had it been four months prior, Dezh wouldn’t have really cared—Wayhaven had  
always been a boringly safe town, after all—but now? Well, now there was no  
telling _what_ would pop out of the shadows.  
  
The thought prompted her hands to move to check the various weapons she had  
strapped to her body. No longer did she carry just a handgun and pepper  
spray. Neither of those was worth a damn against supernatural creatures who,  
almost always, moved so quickly that aiming was damn near impossible. She  
still carried them, of course, but she’d found other weapons to be more  
useful: half-finger tactical gloves with steel knuckles, a wakizashi, an  
expandable steel baton, a switchblade, and a few throwing knives hidden in  
various places on her body. The wakizashi had been Adam’s idea, once he’d  
learned she’d earned two black belts in aikido by the time she graduated  
college and was particularly skilled with a katana. It made sense, she  
supposed. It wasn’t as though she could walk around town with a full-length  
katana strapped to her back without attracting too much attention, so the  
wakizashi was a nice alternative. Even better, it had proven useful on more  
than one occasion. The memory of one such occasion almost made her shudder.  
  
“Are you thinking about those ghouls again, Dezh?” Felix asked with a  
chuckle, drawing her from her thoughts.  
  
Glancing over at her patrol partner who’d joined her half an hour ago, Dezh  
snorted. “How did you know? You guys are psychic, too, aren’t you? And  
you’ve just been hiding it?”  
  
Felix laughed again, shaking his head. “No, but that ghoul is the only thing  
I’ve ever seen actually shake you.” He kept laughing, adding insult to  
injury. “Mason’s never gonna let you live that night down, you know.”  
  
Dezh growled. That was not a topic she wanted to discuss, but the vampire  
next to her insisted on bringing up on a regular basis. As did the broody  
vampire to whom he referred. As if Mason didn’t already have enough reason  
to harass her.  
  
“Even Adam laughed! _Laughed_! Not just a mere chuckle, and even  
that is rare for him.” Felix nudged her with an elbow. “Don’t be so grumpy.  
You know we just like giving you grief.” When she failed to respond, he  
threw an arm around her shoulder and rested his chin on her shoulder. Though  
he was the shortest member of Unit Bravo, he still had a couple of inches on  
Dezh, even with the two-inch heeled boots she wore, a fact he loved pointing  
out to her as often as possible. “It isn’t every day you see the unflappable  
Detective Volkov run away screaming from anything, much less hiding behind  
Mason to protect her from a big bad… insect.”  
  
With another growl, she lightly elbowed the young vampire in the side. “No  
one told me ghouls turn into a bunch of spiders when you slice them apart!  
And the big one was bigger than me! I _hate_ spiders!”  
  
Felix laughed again and hugged her. “We should’ve probably warned you before  
you attacked it. Escara ghouls are the only ones that do that, and most  
witches don’t know how to summon them, so you probably won’t see any again.”  
He paused. “For a while, at least.”  
  
“Good to know,” she responded dryly.  
  
“But I’m sure Mason will protect you,” Felix teased. “While laughing at you  
for it, of course.”  
  
Another growl escaped her before she could stop it, and her thoughts dwelled  
on Mason, against her will. The man would be the death of her, she was  
certain. That night had been embarrassing enough, but he’d taken great glee  
in tormenting her more once they’d completed their task. If he’d only  
tormented her about her reaction to giant bugs, maybe she could’ve handled  
it better. But he seemed intent on repeatedly teasing her to the point where  
she felt like a bitch in heat, only to walk away with her practically  
panting. Every bloody time he did it, they’d been interrupted by something  
or someone. It didn’t seem to frustrate him as much as it did her, though  
she’d begun to notice his patience was waning. Honestly, _her_ patience  
had waned a long time ago. If she didn’t get Mason alone soon, she was going  
to go completely insane.  
  
“I know what you’re thinking about now,” Felix sing-songed, giggling like a  
schoolgirl and darting away from her before she could smack him.  
  
“Not funny, Felix.”  
  
“It’s not my fault my super vampire senses can smell when—”  
  
“If you finish that sentence,” Dezh growled, “I swear… I’ll put Nair in your  
shampoo!”  
  
The vampire gasped dramatically, putting a hand over his heart. “You wound  
me, Detective! I can’t believe you’d be so monstrous.” His mouth curled into  
a grin halfway through his statement. “I…” In an instant, his playful  
demeanor faded into tension.  
  
Dezh stopped, eyeing Felix quietly as his gaze darted around the area. She  
knew better than to ask what caused it. He’d tell her, once he figured it  
out. Still, that didn’t stop her hand from drifting to the hilt of her  
wakizashi.  
  
“We need to—”  
  
Whatever Felix intended to say was cut short by Adam’s voice over the radio.  
“Unit Bravo, radio check.”  
  
“Roger.” It was Nate who responded first.  
  
“Roger,” Dezh responded almost immediately after Nate. Felix was still  
staring into the darkness, so she added. “Felix is with me. He’s, um…”  
Letting go of the button on her radio, she groaned. Adam kept trying to  
teach her the formal radio speak and she kept forgetting. Probably because  
she got bored halfway through his tedious lectures on it. He was a much  
better at teaching combat skills than other things. His voice droned on when  
he lectured, not that she’d tell him that.  
  
“Is everything okay?” Nate asked, copying her lack of formal radio  
etiquette.  
  
“I don’t…” She trailed off, her expression growing concerned. “Where’s  
Mason?” Her question was greeted with silence. After mere seconds, concern  
morphed into a gnawing fear that knotted in the pit of her stomach. “When  
did you guys see him last? I haven’t seen him since we all split.”  
  
“Same here,” Adam responded.  
  
“I saw him maybe half an hour ago near the clock,” Nate said calmly. “We’ll  
find him.”  
  
“I’m going to look for him.” She looked up at Felix, who was still tense,  
but she started walking, anyway. If Mason had bailed on them without telling  
anyone, she was going to kick his ass, vampire strength or not. But why  
wouldn’t he respond on the radio? That wasn’t like him. She really didn’t  
want to consider other possibilities.  
  
“This way,” Felix said as he grabbed her arm and pulled her to the right.  
  
Dezh followed his lead, running beside him as they turned between two aged  
buildings. “Mason?” The knot in her stomach grew bigger when Felix nodded  
and she saw one of the few working lights highlighting the concern etched on  
his features. It wasn’t until they headed down another alleyway—one that  
dead-ended into a brick wall—that the reality of the situation hit her. Any  
time Felix failed to talk, it was bad. Very bad.  
  
Her gaze went to a dark form on the ground near the back wall. There was  
barely enough light to see, but she could see a figure on the ground.  
“Mason…” She barely managed to speak his name thanks to the lump in her  
throat, but she didn’t hesitate. She ran for him, snatching her arm from  
Felix’s grasp when he tried to stop her and told her something about a trap.  
Her knees hit the cement when she reached him, and she said a silent prayer  
it wasn’t really him even as she saw his dark shoulder-length hair draped  
over the sides of his face. Slowly, she rolled him over.  
  
When she saw the strange item sticking out of his heart, and the blood  
pooled beneath him, dread took her breath. But the thing inside of her that  
never gave up—the very thing that had driven her to take Murphy down to help  
her team… no, her _friends_ —made her move. She jerked the tube out  
of his chest and tossed it aside, then reached to check his pulse.  
  
“He’s alive.” Felix’s voice seemed so distant. “Barely. I’ll get…”  
  
Words came out of Felix’s mouth slowly, but Dezh didn’t hear them. Instead,  
she pulled up Mason’s shirt to check for injuries. There weren’t many, but  
the gash in his side was severe. And none of his wounds were healing. Why  
weren’t they healing? Vaguely, she was aware of tears streaming down her  
face. Her heart was pounding so loudly she thought it might beat out of her  
chest. Dammit! Why wasn’t he healing? How could she help him?  
  
The question had her hands moving before her mind provided a coherent  
answer. She tossed her tac gloves on the ground and yanked one of her  
throwing daggers from its hiding place.  
  
“Dezh, what are you… Oh, shit. You can’t…”  
  
Ignoring Felix, she dragged the knife across her left wrist, not deep enough  
to do major damage, but enough to draw blood. Slipping her right hand under  
Mason’s head, she pulled him against her and held her wrist to his lips.  
“Drink,” she ordered softly. When he failed to obey, she shifted him closer  
still so she could slip her right hand around the other side of his head to  
squeeze the blood from her wrist. It trickled down on his lips, sliding into  
his mouth. She squeezed her self-inflicted wound again, making more blood  
flow.  
  
“I can’t take this.”  
  
Dezh didn’t look up at Felix’s quiet plea, but she knew full well the scent  
of her blood was too much of a temptation for him. So, she said quietly,  
“Then get back farther.”  
  
“He swallowed,” the young vampire said, his voice echoing in the alleyway.  
  
Whether or not Mason had actually swallowed, she didn’t know. So, she kept  
forcing blood from the wound. “Please drink, Mason,” she begged, barely  
recognizing her own voice. She began to wonder if she hadn’t made the cut  
deep enough, if he couldn’t get enough blood to heal him. Holding him  
tighter to her, she silently begged him to open his eyes. To bite her if  
that’s what he needed. She knew it’d work. If her blood could make a vampire  
more powerful, it could save Mason’s life, right? He just needed more.  
  
Just when she decided to make the cut to her wrist deeper, Mason’s eyes  
slowly opened. Never had she been so happy to see his stormy grey gaze. He  
looked confused and weak. So weak that, when he started to sit up, she  
pushed him down with the wrist she had to his mouth. That, in and of itself,  
told her all she needed to know.  
  
“If I can push you down,” she said softly, “you haven’t had enough yet.”  
Sniffing, she pressed her wrist to his mouth again. “Drink. Bite me, if you  
have to. Just get enough so you’ll heal.” When he stared at her as though  
she’d lost her mind, she growled and pushed her wrist against his lips,  
bending her hand up so it would bleed more. “Do it.”  
  
For a moment, it seemed he intended to resist—not that he was strong enough  
yet—but then he let out a soft growl, moved his hand behind hers, and sucked  
hard on her wound. Her head swam slightly from it, though she wasn’t certain  
if it was the strange intimacy of the action or the fact that she could  
literally feel her blood flowing from the wound into his mouth. She didn’t  
even realize her eyes had fluttered closed until she looked down and got  
pinned by his gaze.  
  
It was odd, really. She was used to Mason running hot and cold, with nothing  
in between. But the look in his eyes now was different, so different that it  
caused her to freeze. How much time passed, she had no clue, but when he ran  
his tongue over her wound she felt her breath catch in her chest. And heat  
flood her body. The weakness in his eyes was gone, replaced with the  
expression that never failed to leave her heart racing. Still holding onto  
her wrist, he slowly sat up, turning his head and brushing his mouth over  
her breast. She inhaled sharply, which left him smirking.  
  
In the background, she heard Nate and Adam talking to Felix in muffled  
voices. When had they arrived? In truth, she didn’t care. Her gaze never  
left Mason. “You okay now?” she choked out, her voice hoarse.  
  
The smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth, as though he were fighting the  
urge to smile. “Yeah. Your blood’s potent as hell, sweetheart.” His thumb  
slid over her wrist and he squeezed lightly, holding the wound closed. “But  
I told you before”—he leaned in closer then, so close she could feel his hot  
breath against her mouth—“the reason you’re enticing has nothing to do with  
your blood.”  
  
A soft whimper escaped her lips before she could stop it. It didn’t help  
matters that the quiet noise brought a visible spark of hunger to Mason’s  
eyes. The energy she always felt from him seemed to have increased  
exponentially, along with the heat that always flashed between them. Heat,  
hell. It felt more like a bloody bonfire. “You still haven’t—”  
  
The moment, as well as her thought, was broken by Adam’s voice. “What  
happened here?”  
  
Mason didn’t look away from her immediately, which just created more heat  
between them. His lips curled into a cocky smile when she tried, and failed,  
to draw in a deep breath. Finally, he hopped to his feet and pulled her up  
with him. “I sensed something down this alley,” he said, releasing her as  
soon as she was on her feet. He gave a slight nod toward her wrist,  
reminding her to squeeze it so she’d stem the bleeding. “Felt something hit  
me in the chest, a knife in my side, and couldn’t do a damn thing. I  
remember falling. Someone talking.” He shrugged, looking around. “Next thing  
I knew, I woke up with the detective’s blood in my mouth, her tits in my  
face, and her crying on me.”  
  
“Up yours, I wasn’t crying!” she lied, glaring at him and growling when  
Felix laughed.  
  
“And for all those who deny these two were made for each other,” the young  
vampire snickered, “there’s your proof.”  
  
“Shut up,” both Dezh and Mason growled in unison.  
  
“Can you three try to focus on the matter at hand?” Nate said firmly, as  
though he were speaking to children. He often spoke that way to them. “What  
did they hit you with, Mason?”  
  
“It was a dart with an injection tube attached,” Dezh answered, moving to  
find the thing. She let go of her wrist to pick it up, and when she turned  
back to the vampires, three of them had scrambled away from her. She made a  
face at them. “What the hell is—”  
  
“Your blood,” Mason said with a sigh. “Got any of those bandages you carry?”  
  
Looking down at her wrist, Dezh frowned. There wasn’t _that_ much  
blood. “It’s barely bleeding. Why—”  
  
“Can you ever _not_ be difficult?” Mason growled, running his hands  
all over her. Before she could do anything other than stare at him, he stuck  
his hand into one of the pockets of her cargo pants and pulled out some  
gauze. When she opened her mouth to answer his question, he grabbed her  
wrist and started wrapping it. Only then did he offer an explanation. “It  
was enough to cause them to react.”  
  
“It isn’t bothering you?” Felix asked with a groan.  
  
Mason shrugged, tying off the bandage. “I just had some. I’m good.”  
  
For some reason, his matter-of-fact indifference made her chuckle. Adam  
apparently failed to see the humor in it, however. “Why did you do that,  
Detective? You never should have—”  
  
“He was dying,” Dezh interrupted with a frown. “There was so much blood…”  
Gesturing toward the ground where Mason had been laying, she swallowed hard.  
“And his side… he wasn’t healing and…” Her expression turned curious and,  
without asking, she reached for Mason’s shirt and pulled it up. There was  
still blood on his skin, but when she ran her hand over that spot—over the  
taut muscles of his abs—she found the wound was healed completely.  
Thankfully.  
  
“If you want me out of my clothes, let’s take it somewhere less crowded,  
yeah?”  
  
Mason’s voice sent a jolt of electricity through her that was so intense she  
couldn’t manage a snarky response. Instead, she just shifted in an effort to  
try to ease the unbearable tension. “I was making sure the gash was  
healed.”   
  
The telltale smirk returned to his face and he sniffed, leaning closer to  
her. “Checking for bloody wounds turns you on that much? I knew you were  
kinky, sweetheart.”  
  
“Mason, enough,” Nate reprimanded, shaking his head. “Adam’s right, Dezh,  
you never should have—”  
  
“You expect me to watch him die when I knew I could help? Is that what you’d  
do if it’d been me?” When Nate looked away, she snorted. “Am I part of this  
team or not?”  
  
Surprisingly, it was Adam who simply answered, “Yes.”  
  
“Then you’re just gonna have to trust my judgment sometimes.” She gestured  
toward Mason. “His heartbeat was weak. There was blood everywhere and he  
wasn’t healing. I don’t know what _this_ shit is”—she held up the  
dart she’d picked up—“but I know he probably wouldn’t have survived long  
enough for you guys to get here and take him to the facility for treatment.  
I don’t care _how_ fast you move, I wasn’t willing to risk it. So I  
did the only thing I knew would save him.” Before anyone could utter a word,  
she added, “And I’d have done the same thing for any of you, had you been in  
the same state.”  
  
“She just wouldn’t have smushed your face against her ti—”  
  
“Mason,” she growled, only to receive a knowing smirk as a response. Heat  
flooded her face but she forced herself to look away from him. “Adam, I  
don’t have super strength or super speed. My combat skills rock, for a  
human, but I’m still just a human and I _constantly_ struggle to  
make sure I’m something other than a liability to this team. I realized  
tonight, the _one_ damned thing I can contribute that the rest of  
you can’t is the ability to save your lives with my blood, if you need it.  
And that’s what I’ll bloody well do.”  
  
“You are not a liability, Detective,” Adam said after a brief silence. “You  
should know that by now, especially after the incident with Murphy.”  
  
Adam’s words brought a small smile to her lips. Had he seen her as a  
liability, he would have said so, in no uncertain terms. “I… don’t think you  
know how much it means to me that you feel that way, but…” Drawing in a deep  
breath, she frowned. “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. And  
I’m—”  
  
“You think that’s how we look at it?” Mason interrupted, stepping closer to  
her. When she turned her gaze to him, and saw the raw anger in his eyes, she  
nearly took a step back. “That we rank each other to decide who’s more  
valuable?  Don’t be an idiot.”  
  
Dezh blinked, her eyes widening. “No, but I’m not—”  
  
“If we don’t do that to each other, then why the hell would we do it to  
you?” Rolling his eyes, Mason pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.  
Did he just insinuate he considered her to be one of them? Finally? “Get  
over yourself, sweetheart. Your blood is good, but it isn’t so great that  
I’d rather have you serving as a walking bloodbag than have you swinging  
your overgrown knife at our enemies and hacking them to bits.” He turned his  
head briefly to blow smoke out, then smirked at her. “Unless bugs are  
involved. You’re bloody useless against _them_.”  
  
Ignoring Felix’s loud laughter, Nate’s chuckle, and Adam’s attempt to hide  
his amusement behind a cough, Dezh kept her gaze on Mason. Much like Adam,  
Mason was capable of both insulting her and complimenting her in the same  
sentence. Given how she’d never been concerned with _anyone_ ’s  
opinion, she still had trouble processing just how much _all_ of  
their opinions mattered to her. But, in some ways, Mason’s mattered most, so  
the fact that he finally saw her as one of them made her heart do a little  
flip in her chest. Still, Dezh couldn’t help glaring at the mention of the  
incident with the Escara ghouls. Felix was right—Mason would never let her  
live that down.  
  
“Mason, write it on the calendar,” Felix chuckled, “You actually got her to  
shut up.”  
  
Mason snorted, stepping closer to her and flashing a wolfish grin when her  
breath quickened. “I’ve got much better ways of shutting her up. Though  
Nate’d probably whine about it.”  
  
“You three need to write separate reports for what happened tonight,” Adam  
said before Nate could do more than groan. “And we need to get that to the  
lab at the Agency.”  
  
When Adam reached for the dart, Dezh snatched it out of his reach. “I’ll put  
it in an evidence bag. It nearly killed Mason, so you touching it doesn’t  
seem like a good plan.”  
  
Adam nodded, but appeared to be fighting a smile.  
  
Clearing her throat, Dezh looked at Mason then looked to Adam. “If we put in  
the report that Mason drank my blood, they’ll probably want him to stay  
there for days on end so they can run tests on him.” And possibly her as  
well, though she wasn’t particularly worried about that. The Agency had  
treated her like a lab rat ever since the first day she’d stepped into the  
facility.  
  
“What are you suggesting, Detective?” Adam asked with a frown. “That we  
lie?”  
  
“It’s not _lying_ , exactly.” Though she tried to hide her hesitance,  
she knew it was pointless. There was no hiding anything from these four.  
Best to stick to the facts. “Look, he drank blood and got better, right?  
There’s really no need to go into more detail than that.” And given that  
they all carried blood bags on them for emergencies, whoever read the  
reports would assume that was the source of the blood. “You guys metabolize  
things so quickly that running tests on him is pointless. Any trace of it is  
long gone now. And they’ll have the remnants of whatever was in the  
injection tube to run tests with, instead.”  
  
“The point of reports is to provide as many details as possible so the  
Agency can—”  
  
“The most important detail is figuring out what this stuff is,” she  
interrupted confidently. “And this tube gives them what they need. Using  
Mason as a lab rat for the next week would help nothing, but it would hurt _us  
_ and what we’re doing here. Especially given the uptick in  
supernatural activity of late.” Before Adam could offer another argument,  
Dezh added, “If they reach a dead end on it, I’ll offer myself up as a lab  
rat for them. It’s not like that’d be anything new for me.”  
  
Silence fell between them, but Adam’s intense gaze stayed focused on Dezh.  
She didn’t look away, knowing full well he’d take that as an admission she  
didn’t believe her own words. Finally, he let out a sigh and nodded. “Write  
your reports how you think best.”  
  
A relieved breath rose and fell within her, never escaping her lips. “While  
we’re talking about what’s best, I don’t think we should split up anymore  
for patrols, not until we find whoever shot Mason with this crap.”  
  
Adam raised one eyebrow, once again looking as though he was fighting a  
smile.  
  
“Don’t give me that look,” Dezh growled. “All it takes is being caught off  
guard once and…” Unable to finish the thought, she sighed. “Make fun of me  
if you want, but it’d make me feel better if we didn’t split up anymore till  
this is resolved.”  
  
“Aw, you’re worried about us!” Felix announce with a grin, rushing toward  
her to hug her.  
  
Dezh rolled her eyes and sighed. “Yeah, I am.”  
  
“Very well.” Surprisingly, there was no mockery or sarcasm in Adam’s tone  
when he spoke. “Until further notice, we’ll all patrol together.”  
  
“If you’re so determined to guard us, sweetheart, maybe you should do it at  
night, too.”  
  
Mason’s comment brought a groan from Nate, a chuckle from Felix, and a glare  
from Adam. Dezh, for her part, just cocked an eyebrow at the smart-assed  
vampire and tried to pretend the idea didn’t make her feel… overly warm.  
Yeah, he was definitely going to be the death of her.  
   
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something drives Mason to pay Dezh a visit in the middle of the night...

 

 

**_Chapter 2_**  
  
Mason paced the hallway of the safe house, feeling like a caged animal.  
Annoyance pumped through his veins, stronger than blood. Even the cigarette  
dangling from his lips annoyed him, at that moment. The source for his  
displeasure was not something he wished to ponder.  
  
Well, at least he’d finished his report and sent it to Agent Volkov, so he  
wouldn’t have to listen to Adam nag him about it. Just as Dezh had  
suggested, he’d left out the specifics of the blood he’d drank to help him  
heal from the attack. He was glad she’d suggested it. The thought of  
suffering through days of tests made him ill. He snorted. She’d convinced  
Adam to go along with her idea so easily, something that was quickly  
becoming the norm on the team. Normally, Adam believed in playing by the  
rules, no matter how painful it became—and with the Agency, it became  
painful very quickly—but Dezh knew just what to say to make Adam rethink the  
rules. She could sell snow to an Eskimo, if she put her mind to it. Then, if  
he pissed her off, she’d beat him into submission with that little sword of  
hers and take it back without a word.  
  
He shook his head. Still, the report had been painful to write. The whole  
thing pissed him off. Admitting that someone got the jump on him didn’t sit  
well at all. That simply did not happen to him. Ever. Sighing, he cracked  
his neck. It wasn’t like he’d never been injured before—hell, only a few  
months ago, he’d nearly had his ass handed to him by Murphy—but what  
happened earlier disturbed him on a whole other level. Everything had  
happened so fast, and he’d only sensed humans in the _vicinity_ of  
the alleyway, not in the alleyway. How had they covered their scent? He  
hadn’t been smoking then, so there was nothing to mask their presence. So  
how? Unfortunately, as much as it bothered him, he wasn’t likely to find the  
answer to that question tonight.  
  
Grunting, he took another puff from the cigarette then pinched it out and  
tossed it into the trash bin at the end of the hall. His desire to smoke was  
waning, for some reason. Some reason? He snorted at that. He’d always  
smoked, but after meeting Dezh, he’d become obsessive about it, lighting up  
one after the other. It’d been the only thing that helped distract him from  
her scent. Granted, it didn’t help _much_ but it was better than  
being constantly overwhelmed by her smell. In the past few weeks, though,  
he’d smoked less and less. Playing with his lighter still served its  
purpose, but he had no desire to try to block her sweet scent. Especially  
not given how strongly she reacted when he toyed with her—that only enhanced  
her scent.  
  
A small smile played on his lips at that thought. Enticing, he’d called her  
on more than one occasion. Every time he said it, she reacted—her cheeks  
flushed, her heartbeat quickened, and the scent of her arousal called to  
him. And the heat from her… he licked his lips. He’d found a number of ways  
to provoke those reactions from her, and the more he teased her, the easier  
it became to get her hot. Of course, she had the same effect on him, though  
he’d never admit it aloud. She excelled at pressing his buttons, and she  
knew just how to press them…  
  
The game was beginning to frustrate him, though. More than once, he’d  
believed he’d finally get some relief only to have one of the others  
suddenly appear and interrupt his plans. It wouldn’t surprise him if it was  
intentional, either. Nate had repeatedly insisted Mason behave around the  
detective. Like he’d listen. Mason snorted. Dezh was as bad as he was,  
really, but Nate never spoke to her in that annoying parental tone. Probably  
because he knew Dezh would’ve rolled her eyes at him, come back with a  
smartass quip, and done whatever the hell she wanted.  
  
“What’re you doing?”  
  
Mason turned his head to find Felix staring stupidly at him. “What the  
hell’s it look like I’m doing?”  
  
“Pacing,” Felix answered, his lips curling into an amused grin as he leaned  
against the doorway to his room, “and thinking about a certain detective.”  
  
“Shut up.” Mason shook his head and headed into the living room. The safe  
house was nice enough, he supposed, but the decorations were too bright and  
cheery for his tastes. He much preferred Dezh’s apartment, with its dark  
walls and heavy wood furniture. _Sturdy_ furniture that didn’t  
wobble when he sat on it. And likely wouldn’t give if he bent her over it  
and fucked her till she couldn’t walk.  
  
“Running away?”  
  
That Felix followed him wasn’t all that surprising, but Mason wasn’t in the  
mood to listen to his shit. So, he remained silent and paced the living  
room. It proved a challenge, given all the cheap furniture in his way. _Ugh_.  
  
“She completely freaked when she saw you in the alley,” the young vampire  
said idly. “I was afraid it was a trap or something, but she jerked away  
from me to get to you.”  
  
Mason turned at that, hiding his curiosity behind an indifferent mask. “That  
was stupid of her.” It was, but it wasn’t surprising. The detective was  
smart, and capable, but she was impulsive as hell. Especially if…  
  
His thoughts drifted to the day Murphy had taken her. She’d taken one look  
at Murphy, and the number of thralls with him, then stepped forward without  
hesitation. _If you let my friends go, I’ll go with you_ , she’d  
said. Mason had wondered if she’d lost her mind, or maybe gotten hit in the  
head too hard—it didn’t take long around her to realize she was hardly the  
surrendering type, no matter how dire the situation—but even then, he’d  
known there had to be a reason for her ridiculous offer.    
  
When he’d asked her later, she’d answered without pause: _You saw how  
many thralls he had, Mason. I assessed the situation and realized we  
couldn’t win, not when we were so outnumbered. And there was no way in  
hell I was leaving you there to face them alone. Better to sacrifice  
myself for you… the team, than to have you die for me._ Twice in one  
night, she’d been willing to trade her life for theirs. For his.  
  
“I tried to tell her to wait,” Felix continued, interrupting Mason’s memory,  
“but she sliced her wrist open without word.”  
  
Where was Felix going with this? It wasn’t like him to keep droning on about  
one topic for long. He had too little attention span for that. “You couldn’t  
have stopped her. _Adam_ could’ve have stopped her. She’s like a  
bloody steamroller when she sets her mind to something.”  
  
“I know.” He paused for only a split second. “I’m glad she didn’t listen.”  
  
Mason looked over at the young vampire and offered a semblance of a smile.  
That Felix had been _that_ worried meant Mason had been closer to  
death than he realized.  
  
“She really cares about you.” Felix held up his hands when Mason glared at  
him, but continued, “It’s not just… physical.”  
  
“I don’t want to hear this shit, Felix.”  
  
“I don’t really want to say it,” Felix snapped, his normally cheery  
disposition slipping. “Look, man, she’s one of us now. I like it that way. I  
think you do, too. So if you’re just screwing around…” Trailing off, he  
shook his head. “I don’t want to go back to how it was before. She makes it  
_fun_. And she looks out for us, in her own weird way. So don’t hurt  
her, Mason. Please.” The last word held so much desperation it felt like a  
punch to the gut.  
  
Mason eyed the other vampire for a few moments, sensing nothing but  
sincerity.  Hearing this crap from Nate was one thing—the man had no  
sense of fun or excitement—but from Felix, it was troubling. Any other time,  
he would’ve had a comeback for the request. Right then, however, all he  
could manage to say was, “She’s tougher than she looks.”  
  
“Physically?” Felix said softly. “Yeah. Mentally, I think she pretty much  
makes all of us look like weaklings. But emotionally?” He shook his head,  
sighing. “I’m not so sure. She doesn’t let people in easily. And she has  
such a tight hold on most of her emotions that it’s scary. There’s a reason  
she’s like that.”  
  
Letting out a long breath, he reached for another cigarette and lit it.  
Silence fell between them, but it wasn’t comfortable in the least. He could  
feel Felix’s eyes on him. Waiting for an answer. Finally, Mason shook his  
head and growled, “I’m not gonna hurt her.” After a slight pause, he smirked  
and added, “Not like that, anyway.”  
  
Felix laughed, his mood shifting immediately back to normal. “From what I’ve  
seen, she’d probably like the _other_ way.”  
  
“Yeah,” Mason said with a small laugh. He took a long draw from his  
cigarette and sighed. It should’ve rankled that a human had managed to worm  
her way into their team so quickly but, truthfully, he had grown accustomed  
to it, too. He’d resisted it the longest, even longer than Adam, really.  
Despite all the flirting. Now, it was hard to imagine the team without her.  
She fought alongside them like she’d always been there, throwing her all  
into everything they did. She challenged them when she felt it was  
warranted, but if they disagreed, she followed them without hesitation. He’d  
meant what he told her earlier—she was an idiot if she thought they looked  
at her like some kind of liability. And not just because her blood could  
save their lives.  
  
The image flashed in his mind of her tear-streaked face, her fear-filled  
eyes looking down at him. He frowned at the thought, mainly because he’d  
never seen her truly afraid, even when she’d run from the giant spiders that  
had burst from the Escara ghoul she’d sliced open. That had been closer to  
comical alarm than fear. Tonight, though…  
  
 After a few more moments, Mason headed toward the door. “I’m going  
out.”  
  
“Adam said we shouldn’t go anywhere alone until we figure out who attacked  
you. And—”  
  
“I didn’t ask.” Mason glanced back at Felix. “I’ll be back… later.”  
  
Felix chuckled. “Not till morning, if I had to bet.” As the door slammed, he  
yelled, “Tell the detective I said hi!”  
  
Once outside, Mason hesitated. Was he that transparent to everyone? Or just  
Felix? Felix knew him better than Adam or Nate, but the other two weren’t as  
oblivious as they liked to pretend. Well, whatever. Taking a deep breath, he  
tossed his cigarette on the ground and moved.  
  
He ignored the small voice in the back of his mind, objecting to his  
destination. That voice fell silent when he reached her apartment block,  
likely due to her sweet scent just barely permeating the air. It was as easy  
to follow as a trail of breadcrumbs, growing stronger with every step he  
took. As he walked up the stairs, he drew in a deep breath and closed his  
eyes. It was nice just to enjoy her scent without anyone, including her,  
noticing. From outside her apartment door, he could hear her even breathing.  
The woman was in bed asleep. What else did he expect when it was well after  
2 a.m.? What the hell was he doing there? He rolled his eyes at himself,  
knowing damn well why he was there.  
  
He’d meant what he’d told her—it wasn’t her blood that drew him to her. The  
scent was intoxicating, the taste incredible, and the effects it had on him  
were undeniably intense, but that wasn’t why he wanted to see her. Wasn’t  
why he was drawn to her. No, it was something else entirely. Especially  
after what had happened earlier.  
  
Not that he’d ever admit it to anyone, including her, but awakening to find  
her holding him and feeding him from a cut she’d made had felt like some  
kind of messed up dream. And when he’d seen the tears streaming down her  
face—seen the sheer terror in her green eyes because she feared for _him_ —it  
felt like something had been awakened _inside_ of him. It both  
scared the hell out of him and excited him.  
  
Not that she hadn’t proven exciting, anyway. He’d enjoyed provoking  
responses from her ever since the first day he’d met her and she’d looked at  
him like he was her prey and she was the predator. Even once she’d learned  
he was a vampire, she hadn’t backed down. More often than not, she still  
acted like _she_ was the one hunting _him_. At times, it  
was like watching a wildcat in action, the way she stalked him. She _reveled  
_ in playing his game right back at him. Instead of being a prude like  
Nate, when Mason shared what he wanted to do to her in the crudest terms  
possible, all he felt from her was heat. Hell, she was just as crude in  
return, most of the time.  
  
His thoughts drifted to a moment they’d shared a few days ago. What was it  
she’d said? She’d ride him at a gallop till his eyes rolled back in his  
head? That she’d declared it while straddling his lap and grinding slowly  
against him nearly made him lose control and take her right then and there,  
despite the fact that Nate and Adam had been in the next room. A sly smile  
played on his lips when he thought about it. She grew bolder every day,  
intentionally pressing against him when she knew he couldn’t do anything  
about it or saying things only he could hear that’d make anyone else blush.  
More and more, it seemed she was trying to push him to the point where he  
couldn’t control himself. Just like he was doing to her. Which one of them  
would lose control first? He knew the answer—being a vampire gave him an  
edge she’d never be able to match—but it was fun watching her try to win the  
game. She was damn good at it.    
  
Looking at her door, Mason grunted. This _wasn’t_ giving in first.  
He just wanted to see her. Or something. He rolled his eyes. _I  
shouldn’t have come here._  
  
As he turned to walk away, his hand moved of its own volition and pounded on  
her door several times. So much for running away before she answered. Except  
for using vampire speed, of course…  
  
Dismissing that thought, he banged on the door again. After a moment, he  
heard her footsteps drawing closer. Her heartbeat growing louder. And then  
the locks clicked and the door swung open.  
  
At first, he nearly laughed at the sight she made. Her hair was mussed and  
one of her eyes was closed. The other squinted at him sleepily as a yawn  
made her stretch. Her back arched as her arms drew back, causing her chest  
to expand. The motion brought his gaze down, and he no longer felt like  
laughing at all.  
  
Her black shirt was so loose it hung off one shoulder, and so low cut that  
if she stretched once more her nipples would be visible. She wore no bra,  
but the swell of her breasts held the shirt away from her body. She was,  
quite obviously, cold. It took some effort to tear his eyes from that sight,  
but when he did he found himself licking his lips.  
  
The shirt stopped at her hips, revealing high-cut black panties. The silky  
material provided virtually no coverage, giving him a pleasant view of the  
lower half of her body. His gaze skimmed over the cream-colored skin of her  
hips and thighs, down her muscular but feminine legs. An image flashed in  
his mind of those legs wrapped around his back, making him growl softly.  
  
“Mason…” she said sleepily, her voice husky. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”  
  
His gaze skimmed her body again, this time starting at her ankles and moving  
up. His scrutiny caused the temperature to rise between them and he heard  
her swallow hard. By the time his eyes met hers, he realized he wasn’t  
interested in playing at all right then. No, all he wanted to do was push  
her inside and—  
  
“Mason?”  
  
“Never mind,” he growled, turning away from the temptation.  
  
“Come on,” she said hoarsely, gripping his arm with one small hand and  
yanking him into her apartment.  
  
He could’ve resisted, but whatever part of him had that thought got pummeled  
into submission by every other part of him. So he allowed her to push him  
farther inside. Tightening his jaw, he stared at her ass as she closed and  
locked the door. What would she do if he just pushed her up against the door  
and—  
  
“Are you okay?”  
  
Damn her for interrupting that mental image. “Yeah,” was all he managed to  
say in response.  
  
Her brow creased with worry, though one of her eyes was still closed. The  
light in the room was dim, with only one small lamp in the corner fighting  
against the darkness. The dark walls seemed to swallow what little light it  
provided. “Is something wrong? Are you hurt from earlier?”  
  
“No.”  
  
Leaning back against the door, she yawned widely again and bent her leg to  
press her foot against the door. For a moment, she merely regarded him. Did  
she not notice her own lack of clothing or was she playing with him again?  
He knew the answer—she was still too half-asleep to play games, after all.  
“You want a drink?”  
  
That question made him smile. “Yeah. Still have that bottle of Bush Mills?”  
  
Nodding, she started across the room toward the wet bar.  
  
His eyes followed her until he couldn’t take it anymore. He flashed to her  
and spun her so her back was against the wall, enjoying her shocked gasp  
more than he should have. Both of her eyes were wide open now. “Why?” he  
asked, keeping her pressed tightly between his body and the wall.  
  
Confusion contorted her features. Her gaze dropped momentarily, then she  
lifted her wrist. The wrist she’d used to feed him earlier. “This? I told  
you. I couldn’t—”  
  
“You were crying.” When she opened her mouth, he growled, “No bullshit,  
Dezh. I saw it. Why?” The question was stupid, he knew, but he wanted to  
hear her answer. And he hated the fact that he did.  
  
Her brow crinkled ever so slightly, but she held his gaze without flinching.  
“Mason, I saw you lying there… not moving…” As she spoke, her voice cracked.  
He felt her fear from the memory as she relived it. She swallowed hard, her  
expression twisting in pain. And something else, something he saw from her  
that day with Murphy, when she’d pleaded with him not to make her leave him.  
“Your heartbeat was so weak.” Dropping her gaze, she gently put her hand  
over his heart. Warmth radiated from her as she met his gaze again. “Felix  
said you were barely alive. I was so scared I was gonna lose…” She stopped,  
chewing her bottom lip. Her heart thudded like a drum, reverberating through  
him.  
  
Any woman with less of a spine would’ve looked away, embarrassed at what she  
admitted even _without_ finishing her sentence. Not her. He  
considered pushing the issue, making her say it, if for no other reason than  
because he could. Instead, he pressed against her more, practically crushing  
her between him and the wall. When he slid his right knee between her  
thighs, she moaned softly. “Scared you were gonna lose _this_?” he  
asked, moving his hands to the curve of her ass and jerking her against him  
hard.  
  
Her reaction didn’t disappoint—the noise that escaped her lips was more a  
pleasured moan than a gasp, and the heat from her body was so intense he  
thought it might burn them both to ash. He felt her pulse on his knee, felt  
the wet spot forming on his jeans where his knee touched her. Ever so  
slowly, her lips curled into a smirk. “You mean you teasing me constantly?”  
she asked with mock innocence, putting both of her hands on his chest then  
sliding them down to his hips. Her thumbs pressed along the crease of his  
inner thighs, with her other fingers trailing behind.  
  
Mason growled at the teasing, his cock twitching in his jeans when her  
fingers grazed it. Deciding she looked entirely too pleased with herself, he  
dug his fingers into her ass hard enough to leave fingerprint-shaped  
bruises. The desire to mark her was overwhelming. “You’re—”  
  
“Sick of being interrupted,” she interrupted, clearly not referring to her  
words. Looking up at him hungrily, she ground the palm of her hand down the  
length of his throbbing erection. “So, to quote you, I’m all for playing,  
but if we’re gonna do this, let’s do it, yeah?”  
  
Before the last word was out of her mouth, he moved one hand from her ass  
and tangled it through her deep red hair. His mouth came down on hers so  
hard that she whimpered. A quick tug on her hair tilted her head the way he  
wanted it, giving him better access to her mouth. He plunged his tongue in  
without pause, only to have hers meet it halfway. Raw unabated hunger drove  
them both, and it was so intense he wasn’t certain where his ended and hers  
began. They weren’t so much kissing as they were devouring each other, and  
he had no desire to stop.  
  
 It wasn’t until he felt cool air assault his cock that he realized  
she’d undone his jeans, but he didn’t have long to process the fact before  
she wrapped her warm fingers around it and firmly stroked it. Her thumb  
rubbed over the slit, spreading the pre-cum around the head.  
  
He’d been with humans before—the one thing he enjoyed about them was the way  
he could make them hot with a mere word—but he’d never been with one like  
Dezh. It wasn’t just a matter of her acting as though she were hunting him  
instead of the other way around, it was the fact that she challenged him in  
a way _none_ ever had. Everything with her—the flirtation, the  
teasing, even kissing her—was a battle for dominance between them. It didn’t  
matter to her that he was a vampire, stronger and faster than she could ever  
hope to be, she wasn’t intimidated. She couldn’t _be_ intimidated.  
She was too much of a fighter for that, but there was a softness beneath it  
all—the same softness that had left her crying for fear he’d die, the same  
softness that had driven her to make sure he was all right that day at the  
hospital when they’d gone with Nate to check out Murphy’s lab—and he found  
that combination more stimulating than anything he’d encountered in a very  
long time.  
  
As though reading his mind, she nipped his tongue, then somehow managed to  
twist around to bite his bottom lip hard enough to make him grunt. A deep  
chuckle erupted in her throat, but the sound was muffled by his mouth on  
hers. She wanted it rough, huh? Far be it for him to disappoint her…  
  
He pulled away from her, dragging her from the wall and giving her a little  
push toward the center of the room. His dick objected to the lack of her  
touch, but soon it’d be buried balls deep in her. Dragging his teeth over  
his lip, he smirked and drank in the sight of her. Her mouth was swollen  
from his kiss, her heart was pounding hard, and her eyes were filled with  
desire, but it was her scent that nearly drove him insane. With a growl, he  
inhaled deeply, unable to get enough of it. The girl was so ready for him  
he’d have been certain of it even if he hadn’t seen the trail of glistening  
cream sliding down her inner thigh. “Goddamn, sweetheart,” he purred,  
smiling at the way her breasts heaved and how her skin flushed from his  
scrutiny, “you’re burning up.” Gesturing toward what little she wore, he  
growled, “Take that shit off or I’m gonna rip it off of you.”  
  
His words apparently didn’t carry the weight he intended, because she simply  
stared at him with one eyebrow cocked. And a smirk on her swollen lips that  
dared him to follow through on his threat. The exact opposite of a deer  
stuck looking at headlights. When she opened her mouth to speak, he flashed  
to her.  
  
“I _did_ warn you,” he growled, gripping the skimpy panties and  
tearing them off of her. Tossing the shredded material on the floor, he did  
the same to her top before she could protest. That the scent of her arousal  
intensified didn’t surprise him. Unable to resist the urge, he wrapped one  
arm around her and kissed her again, moving the other hand between her  
thighs. Without warning, he thrust two fingers into her hot pussy and nearly  
moaned at the way his hand was suddenly coated in her juices.  
  
Moaning into his mouth, she clenched around his fingers and started tugging  
on his shirt. The pressure around his fingers increased even more when he  
started to slide them back out, like she was trying to keep them inside of  
her. The sound of his shirt ripping barely reached his ears, drowned out by  
the pounding of her heart and the squelching noise her cunt made when he  
added a third finger.  
  
One small hand skimmed over his cock and moved lower, squeezing and  
caressing his balls. Her breath quickened and her other hand moved to his  
cock again. She was trembling so intensely with desire, it felt like he was  
holding a bloody earthquake. He sensed her fighting to maintain that last  
shred of control, though, and silently vowed to crush it.  
  
Hooking his fingers inside of her, he pressed a thumb to her clit and rubbed  
hard. He felt her entire body tense just a heartbeat before her pussy  
exploded into violent convulsions. He swallowed her scream, a noise so  
primal and intense it seemed to have been ripped from her body against her  
will. Her knees went weak, and it was only the arm he had wrapped firmly  
around her that kept her upright.  
  
He nipped her lower lip, then did it again harder. “Next time I make you  
scream, they’ll hear at the facility,” he promised, pulling his fingers  
free.  
  
The look in her eyes was positively feral, and the heat emanating from her  
was burning his sensitive skin. But he wanted her hotter.  
  
Before he could touch her again, though, she yanked his jeans down in one  
swift motion. In two quick moves, she pushed him onto the couch, dropped to  
her knees between his legs, and pounced on him. A soft moan escaped him when  
she wrapped her lips around his dick and forced it into her mouth. He felt  
it pushing into the back of her throat, and then she swallowed, the motion  
squeezing the head of his cock.  
  
A louder moan escaped him and he tangled a hand in her hair. He watched her  
practically worship his dick with her mouth, sucking and licking his length  
as she fondled his swollen balls with one hand. Then, when he was just at  
the edge, she switched—her hand moved to stroke his cock and she took the  
entirety of his balls in her mouth. When she started sucking on them, he  
nearly blew his load right then and there.  
  
“Get up,” he ordered, his voice even deeper than normal. It didn’t surprise  
him when she didn’t move, so he reached for her. Had he not been so blinded  
by the need to fuck her, he might have laughed when she grabbed his wrist  
and made a futile attempt to restrain him. Instead, he jerked her up, hooked  
his arms behind her knees and slammed her onto the couch so hard it knocked  
the breath from her. He didn’t give her a chance to recover before he drove  
his dick into her. Damn, she was tight! And so wet he felt her juices  
coating his thighs. He stayed where he was, enjoying the sensation of being  
inside of her… the way her cunt constricted around him. She tried to buck  
against him, but it was pointless—he had her right where he wanted her, and  
she couldn’t move unless he allowed it.  
  
“Mason, please…” Her words came out drawled, as though she were half drunk.  
  
“Please what, Dezh?” he asked, moving his mouth to suck hard on one taut  
nipple. The action made her clench around him, so he did the same to her  
other nipple, this time biting it lightly. She bucked, so he bit harder. An  
animalistic noise rumbled in her throat and her pussy spasmed, causing more  
sweet cream to soak his dick and balls. He pulled out of her and angled  
slightly before slamming into her again.  
  
“Oh God,” she keened, grabbing both sides of his head and trying to pull him  
to her.  
  
He stopped a hair’s breadth from her mouth. “Tell me what you want,” he  
growled, every muscle tight from the effort it took to keep from pounding  
into her. She moaned but said nothing. Goddammit, she was stubborn. “You  
want me to go?”  
  
“Fuck me, Mason,” she cried when he pretended he was moving away, “ _please_.  
You want me to fucking beg for—”  
  
His mouth was on hers before she could finish and he began thrusting in and  
out of her fast and hard. Any control he’d had was gone. All he could think  
about was getting relief—he’d torment and tease her more later, after his  
lust had been satiated.  
  
Even in her position—legs pinned under his arms and unable to do much other  
than accept the deep dicking he was giving her—she tried to gain an  
advantage. With a hungry growl, she sucked hard on his tongue and raked her  
nails down his back with such vigor that she drew blood.  
  
He twisted as he rammed into her, grinding against her clit with every  
stroke. Tearing his mouth from hers, he looked down at her and watched as he  
brought her body to heights of passion that shattered her normally  
imperturbable demeanor. Gone was the woman who blithely accepted that he,  
Felix, Adam, and Nate were vampires. Gone was the woman who calmly promised  
to take down Murphy if he came near her again, then followed though with it  
as soon as she had the chance. There was _nothing_ calm about her  
now. Her eyes were wild and desperate. For _him_. She bucked and  
squirmed beneath him, trying to match his thrusts, then whined when he  
immobilized her completely by pushing her legs up even farther and pinning  
her ankles beside her head. He was so deep inside of her it felt like his  
balls were going into her as well. And it was damned well driving him  
insane.  
  
Her body tensed, turning rigid for the briefest of moments before she  
screamed his name so loudly it made him wince. But when her cunt started  
spasming wildly around his cock, he pumped into her even harder and faster.  
It didn’t take long for him to slip over the edge with her, his seed  
shooting into her with such force he felt her orgasming again before another  
scream tore its way from her throat. Only once her spasming pussy had milked  
him dry did he release her legs, which she immediately wrapped around his  
back. Smirking, he cocked an eyebrow at her. “Afraid I’m going somewhere,  
sweetheart?” he asked huskily as the aftershocks of her orgasm made her  
shudder beneath him.  
  
“I’m not…” Another convulsion made her pause, but not for long. “…done with  
you yet.”  
  
His cock twitched inside of her, already growing hard again. Sliding an arm  
beneath her, he moved them both in a flash so he was sitting on the couch  
and she was straddling him. His cock was still buried inside of her, right  
where they both wanted it. “Yeah, I’m nowhere near done with you either.” He  
jerked her closer, taking a nipple in his mouth and biting down hard enough  
to make her squeal. Her back arched and, in an instant his thighs were  
coated in more of her cream. He licked his lips at the thought of tasting  
it, of delving his tongue into her so deeply she would beg for him to let  
her cum. He wondered how long it would take before she begged him to _stop  
_ making her cum. _Soon…_ Moving one hand between them, he  
pushed his thumb against her clit and slid it inside her slit. When her hips  
moved, he held her still with one hand. “Wanna bet on which of us breaks  
first?”  
  
The challenge caused fire to flash in her eyes. He’d known she’d take the  
bait before she ever opened her mouth—she couldn’t help herself. “You’re  
on,” she agreed, her voice husky and hoarse. “What’re the stakes?”  
  
Mason couldn’t help but smile.  



	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix is bored, Adam is grumpy, and Nate's left keeping them in line. Meanwhile, Mason and Dezh battle to see who breaks first...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anti-PC warning. The quotes included in the first section are courtesy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which I don't own) and the creator of "Shit Spike Says" (which is not me). And, obviously, I don't own TWC, I'm just playing in the sandbox. If you're offended by non-PC terms, skip the first section of the chapter and get to the offensive bangfest. ;-)
> 
> BTW, if anyone is interested in betaing future chapters, let me know. Thus far, I've had no one beta the story. Mistakes are bound to happen...

**_Chapter 3_**  
  
Felix flipped through the email on his phone, deleting almost everything. Ever since he shared his email with the detective and Tina, he’d started getting more and more messages. How could he get so much spam when his email address was private? And why would he want an even larger penis? Were humans that obsessed with such things? Or did human males not know how to correctly use what they had? Shaking his head, he snorted at the thought and scrolled through the remaining unread messages.  
  
Everything remaining was boring, except for one: he tilted his head when he saw Dezh’s email address. Typically, she texted him anything she wanted him to see—whether it was something funny she’d found, a picture of something she thought he’d like, or complaints about Mason or Adam pissing her off—so it was odd to see an email from her. The only hint to its contents was the subject, which was a simple question: “ _remind you of anyone?_ ”  
  
Curious, Felix opened it to find an attached video file. He wasted no time clicking on it and was immediately treated to some woman thanking a blonde guy in a black leather duster for saving her. Felix didn’t have time to wonder as to the purpose of the video before the blonde guy started talking:   
  
_“Well whadda you expect? Out alone in this neighborhood, I’ve got half a mind to kill you myself, you halfwit.”_   
  
Felix barked a laugh. The woman in the video looked like someone had punched her in the gut and muttered something he couldn’t hear over his own laughter. The blonde guy, who had a British accent, continued,  
  
_“I mean, honestly, what kind of retard wears heels like that in a dark_ alley? Take two steps, break your bloody ankle.”   
  
Felix chuckled again as the woman in the video, obviously upset now, told the blonde guy she was just trying to get home. Apparently, she was too stupid to know to quit while she was ahead. Her rescuer continued looking at her like she was an idiot.   
  
_“Well, get a cab, you moron,” the blonde guy declared, giving her a push out of the alley. “And on the way, if a stranger offers you candy, don’t get in the van!”_  
  
Holding his side, Felix laughed more. A title popped onto the screen: ‘ _Shit Spike Says_ ’ and the video continued. Before long, Felix had to put his hand to his side to stem the pain from hysterical laughter. It was just too hilarious! Spike, it appeared, was a snarky vampire with an attitude, one who reminded him—and, Dezh, apparently—of Mason.   
  
“What’s so funny?”   
  
Nate’s question made Felix glance up from his phone, and he suddenly became aware of tears streaming down his cheeks. He hadn’t laughed this hard in ages! “A video Dezh sent me. You have to see this!” He waited for Nate to take a seat next to him on the couch, then restarted the video.   
  
“Why did the subject ask if this reminds you of…” Nate trailed off, laughing softly at the first scene. He stayed silent for the rest of the video, save for quite a few chuckles.  
  
“I have to show this to Mason,” Felix told Nate once the video had finished.   
  
“Don’t.” Nate shook his head. “There’s no telling how that would end.”   
  
Felix cocked an eyebrow. Oh, he knew how that would end, and it would be entertaining. For him, anyway. After a few more moments of dealing with Nate’s parental glare, Felix finally shrugged. “Okay, fine, I won’t show it to him.”  
  
“Show what to whom?”   
  
Grimacing, Felix looked up to find Adam coming into the living room from the hallway. He’d thought the team leader had actually gone to bed, since none of them had slept in a couple of days. “Uh…”  
  
Nate gave him a questioning look, then said, “A video to Mason. Dezh sent it to Felix and it’s—”  
  
“Where _is_ Mason?” Adam asked, crossing the room to look out the window. And _this_ was the exact topic Felix had hoped to avoid. “He’s not in his room.”   
  
“I haven’t seen him.” Nate sniffed and got to his feet. “Felix?”  
  
Was there a good way to answer? It certainly didn’t appear so, since both Nate and the team leader were staring at him. “He went out.” There, that was nonspecific enough. Or so he thought, until he saw the two disapproving frowns directed at him. He offered a noncommittal shrug. “He didn’t say where he was going.” And that was not a lie. Of course, Mason hadn’t _had_ to tell him where he planned to go, not when it had been so obvious. It was likely obvious to them as well but, with any luck, they would all pretend otherwise.   
  
“How long has he been gone?”   
  
“Uh…” Felix glanced at his phone to check the time. Crap, it was already morning? Had he really wasted that much time screwing around online after Mason had left? “About four and a half hours, I guess?”  
  
Nate sighed loudly. “Did you even _try_ to stop him?”  
  
_Ugh_. So much for feigning ignorance. Felix suddenly wished he had gone to his room for the night. At least then he wouldn’t be facing an inquisition now. “I reminded him that Adam agreed we shouldn’t be going around alone right now.” Despite his best efforts, Felix couldn’t hide a smile at that and decided to use it to change the subject. “Dezh was really worried about us. Most of the time, she acts like _we’re_ the ones who need protecting.”   
  
“It isn’t that,” Nate said softly, then gave a chuckle. “Okay, so it’s partially that. She steadfastly believes we should all watch each other’s backs, and that includes her watching ours.”   
  
“She’s right.”   
  
Felix’s gaze shot to the team leader when he spoke, his eyes nearly bugging out of his head. “You actually meant it when you told her she’s part of this team?” The question came out wrong. Adam rare lied directly—it just wasn’t in his nature to do so—but sometimes his words didn’t mean what others thought he meant. “I mean—”  
  
“Of course, I did.” Adam met his gaze with a frown. “She is intelligent and perceptive. In combat, she’s more capable than any human I’ve seen before.”   
  
“She comes by that naturally,” Nate said with a smile.   
  
Adam nodded, but his expression grew sterner. “I just wish she practiced even a hint of Rebecca’s caution.”   
  
“She’s more fun than her mother.” Felix chuckled. “Besides, Dezh wouldn’t be Dezh if she didn’t run head first and full speed into everything.” The comment drew a chuckle from Nate, but Adam didn’t look amused. “She hardly ever argues with you now. Except when you get too bossy.”   
  
Shaking his head, Adam sighed. “Expecting her to exercise common sense does not make me bossy.”   
  
Felix snorted. “I think the problem is your definition of common sense isn’t the same as hers. And you tend to treat her like she’s made of glass or something.” Adam’s annoyed expression made him quickly amend his words, “I mean, she _thinks_ you do.”   
  
“How many times has she needed medical treatment since we’ve met her?” Adam asked dryly, then waved away Felix’s response. “I don’t think she’s made of glass, but she often seems unaware of her own mortality.”  
  
“Has she told you any stories about when she was a child?” Nate asked, chuckling. “She was even worse then.”  
  
Adam snorted. “Rebecca has my condolences, then.”   
  
“I doubt she needs them since she was hardly ever around.” Felix sighed when he saw the glares directed at him. “Well, it’s true.”    
  
A chilled silence fell over the room, and Felix almost felt badly for speaking the truth. Yet, _he’d_ been the one to talk to the detective about her childhood and how she’d spent it alone, for the most part. She loved Rebecca, and they were close, but feeling like she had no one to depend on had left Dezh guarded with everyone. At first, anyway. The entire team had gotten close to her, though, albeit in different ways. Felix was certain he was the one she was the most open with, however.   
  
“Let me know when Mason gets back,” Adam said, walking out of the room.   
  
Grimacing, Felix watched the team leader leave. “Something I said?”   
  
“Felix, enough.” Nate gave him one of those disappointed looks meant to make him feel like a child.   
  
This was obviously one of those times it was better to quit while he was ahead. So, Felix turned his attention back to his phone again and stayed silent. He just hoped Mason came back soon, before the team leader’s head exploded.   
  
                                                                                *  
  
Was it possible to die from too much pleasure? As Dezh collapsed on top of Mason, letting her head fall against his shoulder, she realized the answer—yeah, it was possible, but _damn_ , what a way to go.  
  
Water sloshed out of the tub, soaking the rug and floor, when Mason shifted them both. Not that the bathroom wasn’t already a mess. The shower curtain had been torn from the hangers not long after they’d gotten into the shower. Hell, the shower rod had fallen as well and bonked her on the head in the process. She’d barely noticed, though Mason had made somewhat of a fuss about it. Well, not really a fuss, but when he tried to stop what he was doing at the time—fucking her against the back wall—she had made a fuss of her own. How the man could even _think_ about stopping when she was that close to orgasm was beyond her. Besides, her head fared better than her apartment had. Almost every room looked like a tornado had been through it. And Dezh couldn’t have cared less.   
  
“Hey, sweetheart, you aren’t drowning, are you?” Mason asked, threading his fingers through her wet hair. The only response she gave was to suck hard on his neck, right on the spot she’d found earlier that never failed to make him growl. He tightened his fingers in her hair and dropped his head against the edge of the tub, letting her do as she pleased. “You always been this insatiable?” His voice was even deeper, somewhat hoarse. Though she’d been the one doing all the screaming, he hadn’t exactly been quiet. “Or is this… new?”   
  
New? Whether it was instinct or wishful thinking, she had a feeling what he really wanted to know was if she’d been like this with anyone else, or just him. And it was just him. Swallowing hard, she moved her mouth to his earlobe and dragged it between her teeth. Another thing that drew a soft growl from him. “Completely new,” she whispered in his ear, barely recognizing her own voice because it was so low and breathy.   
  
Before she could say anything else, he tugged her hair until she moved her heard back far enough to meet his eyes. Every damn time he did that, heat quickly spread through her body and her stomach fluttered as though it were filled a thousand butterflies in the midst of an apocalyptic war. And he bloody well knew it.   
  
Moaning softly, she arched her back and slid one hand over his chest. His eyes never left hers as she made her touch lighter, gliding just the tips of her nails over his freckled skin. God, he was perfect… cut from stone, it would seem, if not for the unsteady breath causing him to tremble beneath her touch. His eyes closed briefly when she traced the outline of his left nipple, flicking it lightly before gently taking it between her thumb and forefinger. Mason’s skin was so sensitive, even the lightest touches elicited the most wonderful reactions from him. As long as she touched him in the right places, anyway. And she quickly learned what spots he liked best. The thing was, he liked her mouth on him more than her hands. So did she…  
  
When she started to move, his fingers tightened in her hair and held her in place. “What the hell is that noise?” he growled, nipping her bottom lip.   
  
She blinked, too focused on him to really register anything else. After a moment, though, she heard a repeating beeping noise. “Ugh, my alarm…  
  
“Water’s getting too cool, anyway.” That was the only warning she got before he wrapped his arms around her and got up, taking her with him.   
  
Cool air assaulted her skin, contrasting the warmth of the water and the heat she felt from Mason’s body. Holding onto him, she wrapped her legs around his waist and moaned softly when he slid his hands down to cup her ass. Water splashed onto the floor again, though this time most of it came from their bodies when he stepped out of the tub.   
  
Finally in a position to taste him without him stopping her, she moved her mouth to his neck and licked away the droplets of water on his hot skin. She sucked lightly, working her way up to the sensitive skin just behind his ear. For a few moments he didn’t move, his breath shaky as she continued her sensual assault on his skin. When he dug his fingers into the fleshy part of her ass, instinct made her legs tighten around him and she tried to grind against him. “I’m gonna crush that goddamn alarm,” he growled, moving toward the bedroom.   
  
What? Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized he was carrying her to the bedroom. While they were still soaked from the hot water in the tub. “Mason, we’re dripping wet…” Any further complaints faded into a pleasured moan when he moved one hand between them and rubbed the head of his cock along her slit.   
  
“You’ve been dripping all night, sweetheart,” he told her. It wasn’t an exaggeration—honestly, she had no clue how it was even possible, but her body never failed to respond to his touch. _Strongly_.  “But before I take advantage of it…” Tossing her unceremoniously onto the bed, and snorting at her soft ‘oof,’ he turned to the alarm clock. Yanking the cord from the wall, Mason brought his fist down hard on the poor box. It shattered, sending pieces of plastic flying in every direction.   
  
For some reason, his vehemence sent her into a fit of giggles. “My hero, slayer of alarm—ack!” Her smart-assed declaration abruptly ended when he pounced on her and kissed her with such force the only thing she could do was accept and enjoy it. The man literally overwhelmed her, causing sensory overload—the full weight of his body on hers, the way he fit so perfectly between her open thighs, the sweet taste of his lips and tongue as he kissed her, and God help her, his scent. All of it together consumed her, and she could _not_ get enough.   
  
When he ended the kiss, she whimpered an objection and tried, unsuccessfully, to pull his head back down to hers. “Ready for me again, huh?” he purred, the vibration of his voice making him squirm beneath him.   
  
“Yes,” she hissed, squirming more. Her pussy literally dripped for him, throbbing in time with her accelerated heartbeat. “Need your cock inside of me again, Mason.” Since he refused to kiss her again, she lifted her head and nipped at his chin. “So fucking wet for you…”   
  
“Show me.” His words were little more than a guttural growl as he moved one of his hands to hers, turning it so her palm covered the back of his hand.   
  
Looking into his eyes, she moved his hand between them. She half-expected him to take over, but that clearly wasn’t his intent. Instead, he watched her with his jaw tight and waited for her to move his hand and fingers for him. Using two fingers, she slowly pushed his first two fingers into her cunt. Cream flowed from her, coating their hands.   
  
“Push yours in, too,” he ordered softly, his grey eyes filled with so much heat she feared it might burn her alive.  
  
A shaky breath and she obeyed, her back arching sharply when she had four fingers filling her cunt. “Mason…”   
  
“Spread your legs more, sweetheart.” His lips twisted into a smirk when she did as he said without hesitation. “There ya’ go…” He pushed his fingers in further, pumping lightly, and hers followed. She nearly screamed from the sensations it created within, from how he so quickly brought her teetering right at the edge of release. “You…” Trailing off, he growled when her cell phone blasted a loud tune and vibrated loudly on the nightstand. “That a call?” Incapable of anything else, she nodded. “You are so gonna regret that…”  
  
He moved so quickly the only thing she really comprehended was the sudden lack of his fingers inside of her. And she couldn’t help whining an objection at the loss. “It’s the bobblehead. Tell her you aren’t coming in today.” Her gaze went to his when he put the phone in her hand.  
  
“What?” Did he say bobblehead? She looked at the phone stupidly, taking a moment to realize he’d already swiped it to answer it. Her eyes grew wider as he quickly moved down to settle between her thighs. and, for the life of her, she couldn’t remember how to end the call.   
  
“Dezh?” Tina’s voice sounded distant, and way too difficult to focus on.   
  
“Yep.” Inhaling sharply, Dezh squirmed when Mason hooked his arms under her legs and pinned her hips to the bed, spreading her open for him. The way he smirked up at her made her squirm more, especially when he started kissing and nipping a trail up the inside of her thigh. He wouldn’t dare, not while she was on the phone! “Did you, um…” Whatever she intended to say left her brain when Mason ran his tongue up the length of her slit. She barely bit back a moan. Or _did_ she moan? She wasn’t even certain.   
  
“Are you okay?” Tina asked. “I was calling to see when you’ll be in because—”  
  
“Uh huh,” Dezh squeaked when Mason’s tongue flicked over her clit. She tried to wriggle away—how the hell was she supposed to carry on a conversation like this?—but he held her in place. “Had some… umm… trouble last night”—she whimpered when he started sucking on her clit, then hurriedly tried to finish—"Not gonna be… in. Mason… and I have to… oh Go”—she bit her other hand to keep from crying out more—"…investigate something. Today.”   
  
Something vibrated across the lips of her pussy, making her wonder what the hell he was doing down there—was he laughing? The blood rushed out of her head too quickly and left her dizzy, unable to think coherently. Tina said something—goodbye, maybe—but for the life of her, Dezh couldn’t grasp it. When she heard the call ending beep, she flung the phone across the room and tried to pull him up. He ignored her and delved his tongue into her pussy so deeply she moaned. She couldn’t take it, though. It was too damned much. “Mason, don’t…”  
  
He lifted his head and plunged two fingers into her, smiling wolfishly when it made her cry out his name. “Has no one ever eaten you out?” Leave it to him to be blunt. Of course, she didn’t typically mind, but this was… different. Instead of prompting her again for an answer, he hooked his fingers inside of her and slowly turned them. Her back arched and she squirmed to get him to touch her where she needed it. He ignored her silent request, leaving her with no doubt that, if she didn’t answer, he would to tease her to death.   
  
“No… never had anyone…”   
  
“No wonder you’re so pent up,” he told her with a smirk. “Never been with a man who knew what the hell he was doing.” Unfurling his fingers inside of her, he bit her inner thigh hard enough to make her squeal but it only served to make her pussy throb more for him. “You want this, sweetheart?”   
  
When she didn’t immediately answer, he leaned in closer, popping her clit repeatedly with his tongue then sucking on it hard enough to draw a loud moan from her. His fingers kept pumping into her though, twisting with each thrust like a corkscrew preparing to pop a cork. The mental image fit all too well.   
  
“Well?” he prompted, nipping the delicate skin at the crease of her inner thigh.   
  
She writhed, any embarrassment she felt drowned by desire for him. “Yes.”   
  
As soon as the word left her lips, he was on her. Alternating between his tongue and fingers, he fucked her as though his sole mission was to make her lose her mind. And to ensure her cunt was constantly filled with some part of him. The sensations left her gasping for air and off-balance in a way that made her head spin. There was no quarter from his assault—when his fingers pumped into her, he licked and sucked on her clit… when he pulled his fingers free, his tongue slipped in, fluttering and thrusting for a few brief moments before he switched again. It left her disoriented and burning hot. The pressure within her rose to an unbearable level, making her breath came in rapid spurts and her head flail from side to side.   
  
“Mason…” Her entire body trembled as she neared release, though some part of her seemed to be fighting against it. It did no good, however, not when he suddenly curled his fingers in her pussy and sucked mercilessly on her clit. His teeth grazed it ever so slightly and that was all it took. Her back arched of its own volition as she screamed in pleasure. Rhythmical spasms erupted deep in her pussy, so fast and hard she felt them in her stomach.   
  
Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized Mason’s tongue and fingers were still at work. Her body responded, despite the dullness of her mind, and another wave of pleasure swept over her before the first subsided. One orgasm after another ripped through her body, but he didn’t stop. Didn’t give her a chance to catch her breath before he pushed her over the edge again. Distantly, she heard her own voice, begging him for something—whether it was for him to stop or keep going, she had no idea. It was just too damned much, and left her struggling to keep from drowning from the intensity of it all. Her clit felt so hypersensitive a mere touch kept her pussy spasming for him.    
  
“C-c-can’t take anymore,” she managed to choke out in a high-pitched wail as he pulled yet another orgasm from her. And kept going. Between his tongue and fingers, he played her body as though it was an instrument meant just for him. Fighting against it made her aware of a different kind of pressure within her, this one somehow rooted deeply within her. What it was, she didn’t know, but it was so overwhelming it pained her.  
  
“Stop fighting it,” he growled, pinning her hips down with his free hand and ignoring her objection. He thrust two more fingers in her pussy and started sucking hard on her clit. In mere seconds, she heard herself scream his name. She thrashed beneath him, aware of little other than the way his tongue hammered her clit as he drove four fingers into her spasming pussy. Cream poured from her, each thrust of his fingers causing a loud sloshing noise that nearly drowned out her own voice.   
  
“P…p…please…” Tears burned her eyes as she tried to fight against… something. Desperation made her struggle, but he allowed her no escape. “Mason… I…” She felt him shift his fingers again and, without warning, his thumb slid into her pussy as well, pressing against her clit as his tongue repeatedly flicked it. Whatever held back that hidden pressure within her, Mason reached into her and decimated it. The result was violent and explosive, as though it wasn’t just her body experiencing release, but _all_ of her.    
  
This time, when she screamed his name, it was wrenched from her very soul. A tsunami of pleasure and emotions swept all around her, its force dragging her beneath the surface. Drowning her completely. Sobs wracked her body, and with them came tears, but she stopped fighting. She just gave into it, into _him_. And with that came pleasure… peace.  
  
On the edge of consciousness, Dezh trembled uncontrollably, aware only of Mason. Of his touch. No longer did his fingers plunge into her, forcing orgasm after orgasm onto her. No, now he used only his tongue, lightly tickling and teasing her pussy and clit. Gently bringing her over the edge one more time. When the spasms within started, the rest of her body fell limp.   
  
Soothing hands slid up her overly sensitized skin, followed closely by trails of soft kisses. “Shh,” he whispered, running a thumb over her cheek to wipe away the tears she hadn’t realized were still there. Strong arms enveloped her, holding her close. Such tenderness from him seemed surreal, out of character, but welcome. “Just breathe.” His soft lips brushed over her forehead as he gently stroked her hair.   
  
Sighing softly, she shook from the aftershocks that rocked her body. And yet, a small smile played on her lips at the way he played with her hair. It was so relaxing, she closed her eyes for just a moment. Or two. A gentle tug on her hair made her open her eyes, and she was pleasantly surprised when she saw Mason’s face.  
  
“Admitting defeat, sweetheart?”   
  
She stretched languidly against him, trying to hide a wince but unable to stifle a soft yawn. “Nuh uh.” With any luck, her denial sounded more convincing than it felt. “Are you?”   
  
Mason barked a laugh. “What do you think?” Pressing closer to her, he rubbed his hardened cock against her stomach.   
  
A soft moan escaped her lips, but she doubted she’d survive much more. Worse, she feared she didn’t have enough energy left to do _anything_. Nonetheless, she couldn’t deny she still wanted him. Her body still craved his and responded to the knowledge he still wanted her. Well, everyone had to go somehow, right? So, sliding one hand down his chest, she ground her palm down the length of his cock. “Hmm… seems you haven’t had enough yet.”   
  
Again, he laughed. The expression in his gaze almost made her giggle. He was genuinely amused at her refusal to concede defeat. “Hold onto me.” As soon as she had her arms firmly around him, he tightened his grip on her and sat up, taking her with him. Somehow, he managed to get them into a sitting position on the bed, with his legs around her body and hers around his waist. Moving his hands to her ass, he slid her closer to him.   
  
Lost in his eyes, she almost missed it when he dropped his gaze and gave a slight nod. He didn’t need to do more than that—she knew exactly what he wanted. When he’d pulled her close enough, she reached between them to guide him into her. Unable to resist the urge, she glanced down and watched the head of his cock breach her slit. A whimper escaped her and she shook slightly. Every nerve ending in her body was fried. Oversensitive. Yet, she was still ready for him. Still wanted him. When she looked up again, she saw him watching as well, though he’d stopped drawing her to him. “Mason?”   
  
Those stormy grey eyes met hers in an instant. “You all right?” When she nodded, he dug his fingers into her ass and smirked when she whimpered softly. She had no doubt he intentionally dug his fingers into the fingerprint-shaped bruises he’d already left earlier. Not that she had any complaints.   
  
Swallowing hard, she followed his gaze when it fell between them again. There was something oddly erotic about watching her body swallow his cock at this agonizingly slow pace. Once he was buried inside of her, with her breasts crushed against his hard chest and the crystal he wore digging into her skin, she looked back at him to find his gaze already on her.   
  
His cock twitched in her, and damn did it feel good, even as sore as she was. Snaking her arms around his neck, she ran her fingers through his hair. Heat still crackled between them, just as intensely as before, but this was different. Slowly, he rocked his hips against hers. There were no deep thrusts, just a gentle movement of his cock inside of her, rubbing in just the right place and making it easy for her to match his pace, despite her state. Her eyes stayed locked on his as they moved together. The barely contained storm she usually saw in those beautiful grey orbs had eased, and something in her chest lurched at the warmth she now saw there.  
  
His gaze narrowed ever so slightly, then he kissed her. Even that was different. Gentler. She tasted herself on his lips… his tongue, but, thankfully, she still tasted _him_. His hands slid up her back as she arched against him, bringing him deeper inside of her. It was peculiar. Just like hers, his body held absolutely no tension anymore, as though her completely giving into him had left him in the same state as her.   
  
The pressure within her grew as they rocked together, as it had all night. It built slower, though, and, in some ways, more intensely. Earlier, it had been lust driving them. Now… now they were making love. _Whoa, girl._ The thought was a shock to her system, but before she could consider it, it was quickly overrun by something else, an irresistible need she couldn’t deny.   
  
Mason ended the kiss, nipping her lower lip. “What’s wrong?”  
  
The concern in his eyes nearly made her smile. “Nothing,” she inhaled sharply when he moved a hand back to her ass and jerked her to him, driving his cock into her a bit harder than before. “I just…” Surprisingly, he waited for her to continue instead of pushing the issue. Her voice dropped to a near whisper. “I want you to bite me.”   
  
In an instant, his expression changed. His hips stilled, though he kept her tightly wrapped in his embrace. Looking into his eyes, there were two things she knew with certainty: he wanted to do it and he was fighting that desire with everything he had. And for that reason, she knew she’d win this one.   
  
“Mason,” she said huskily, slipping her hands to the sides of his neck and jaw. “I want… no, I _need_ … you to bite me, to know how it feels to have you do it right.” Shifting a bit, she tucked her legs outside of his so she could ride his cock instead of continuing the gentle rocking motion. It caused the strangest mixture of pleasure and pain, and she had no desire for either to end.  
  
“You’re playing with fire, sweetheart,” he growled, thrusting slowly as she rode him.   
  
Though a quip nearly fell from her lips, she stopped it when she saw sincere concern in his eyes. Caressing his face, she kept her gaze on his. “I trust you.” A strange surge of fear came from nowhere, which was odd because she wasn’t afraid in the least. She didn’t waste time dwelling on it and smiled as she clamped down on his dick. How she managed it, she didn’t know, considering how sore she was.   
  
It was as though he was at war with himself, but she knew the exact moment she’d won. Wordlessly, he let out a breath and moved. Tangling his left hand in her hair, he tugged lightly to tilt her head to the side. His right finger ran down the vein in her neck and he swallowed hard. Had she not been paying attention, she wouldn’t have noticed how fast he now breathed. Was it that difficult for him? As much as she wanted this, she didn’t want to torture him. “It’s not why you’re so enticing,” he whispered, his tongue darting out to swipe the corner of his mouth.   
  
Her pulse quickened and he thrust up into her, making her whimper slightly. God, how could she be so close to the edge again when he’d made her cum so many times already? When he thrust again, she rotated her hips so his length rubbed against her clit. Another whimper escaped her lips and her eyes fluttered closed. It was then she felt his mouth on her neck, his tongue trailing up the vein he’d been eyeing only moments before. Her arms tightened around him and she rode his cock faster.   
  
A strange feeling came over her when she felt him sucking on the spot she knew he would bite. Arching her back crushed her breasts against his chest, embedding that crystal he wore into her flesh yet again. It wasn’t until she felt one of his hands move to her hip that she became aware she’d tried to quicken the pace yet again. God, she was so close again. Shivering, she obeyed his silent request to slow her movements. She was rewarded when that same hand slipped under her leg and a finger joined his cock in fucking her, overfilling her pussy to the point she feared she might split in half. But every thrust ground against her clit, making her breath come in rapid, uneven spurts.   
  
“Don’t you _dare_ cum yet,” he growled against her neck, nipping it. “Hold it back…”   
  
Easier said than done. Yet, somehow, her body obeyed again. It was torture, sweet, pleasurable torture and her body trembled from the effort it took to keep from going over the edge. “Mason,” she keened, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. She didn’t hold those back as she had earlier. She held nothing back. But she wanted—no, she _needed_ —more. Faster. Harder. Just more of _him_. Still, he moved at that torturous pace, the sound of his cock sliding in and out of her dripping cunt so loud it seemed to echo off the walls.   
  
So, with no other choice, she gave herself to it. To him. Letting her head fall back, she bared her entire neck and throat to him. Offering it all to him. It was then his mouth moved from her neck for the briefest of moments. Before she could mourn the loss, she felt a sharp pain, felt his fangs sink into the tender flesh. And with that pain came a release like she’d never before experienced.   
  
The world shattered into a million shards of light, and the force of it sent her reeling. Tiny stars burned in her field of vision, blinding her to all else. Adrift in some space beyond reality, she flew higher and higher, spinning out of control. Only the distant feel of Mason’s body against hers connected her to the world, causing some muted part of her mind to acknowledge that what went up, had to come down. She just hoped she’d survive the fall.   



	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's after noon already. Dezh recovers and Mason gets his ego fed (like he needs that, right?). Meanwhile, no one can get in touch with Mason or Dezh. Felix finds out where they are and is amused. Adam and Nate decide to take matters into their own hands and restore some order.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a disclaimer: I don't own Wayhaven, I just like playing in her sandbox because I'm obsessed with it! No real smut in this chapter, just some hints of it. There is a plot, after all! Somewhere in there....

**_Chapter 4_**  
  
As the world slowly came back into focus, the first thing of which Dezh became aware was her quivering wreck of a body. Despite feeling unbelievably sore and weak, she felt really good.  
  
Mason’s voice called to her, though she had trouble comprehending his first words. When he tugged on her hair, she grunted but it helped her regain her senses a bit. “C’mon, sweetheart,” he said, his tone strange, “open your eyes…”   
  
Drawing in a breath proved difficult, speaking even more so. “Mason…” was all she could manage as she struggled to open her eyes. Until that moment, she hadn’t realized they were closed. Her breath still came in ragged spurts, likely due to the random convulsions still rippling through her body. Thankfully, those were waning.   
  
“Well, at least you remember my name,” he quipped, running his fingers down her spine.  
  
She shivered at the touch, light as it was. Every nerve ending in her body felt exposed. Raw. She blinked again. When had they laid down? Not that she was complaining—the way her body was draped halfway over his, with one of his arms wrapped firmly around her, brought a weak smile to her lips. “Mason…” she said again, wincing when she tried to stretch.   
  
His head tilted down toward hers, so close she could’ve easily kissed him had she been able. A smile played on his lips, and when he spoke she felt the warmth of his breath on her face. “Yeah, you said my name already. You remember yours? Or did I break your mind, too?”  
  
He had, but she’d be damned if she’d admit it. Swallowing hard, she twisted her mouth into as much of a smirk as she could manage. “It’s sweetheart, right?”  
  
The laugh that escaped him was a deep melodious sound that rumbled in his chest, sending pleasant vibrations through her entire body. She silently vowed to make him laugh more often. “If you can still be a smartass, I haven’t won yet,” he said, giving her a light smack on the ass.  
  
“Nope,” she said without hesitation, though her voice was weak. Despite her bravado, she wasn’t certain she could manage to lift a finger, much less do anything else.  
  
“You _sure_ you aren’t ready to admit defeat?” he purred, slowly sliding his hand up between her thighs. Even his feathery touch made her tremble again. When she groaned and bit her bottom lip, his hand moved up further. A smirk came to his lips as he watched her—he was waiting for her to change her mind, she knew. “Well, if you think you can take it…” When he brushed her clit with his thumb, she barely choked back a wail. The strangest part was that it was still pleasurable, but it was just too much. _Way_ too much.   
  
“Okay, okay,” she squeaked, her self-preservation instinct suddenly making her more energetic. She gripped his wrist to push it away, but she’d have had more luck moving a mountain. “You win!”   
  
The cocky smile her admission of defeat caused just made him look even hotter, for some reason. She still wanted to slug him, though. “You sure?” he asked in mock innocence, not moving his hand just yet.  
  
“Yes,” she groaned, shivering more. “God, it feels like all my nerve endings are fried. Every touch is just so fucking _intense_.”   
  
“Now you know how I feel all the time,” he snorted, moving his hand to her hip.   
  
Frowning, she looked at him questioningly. “ _All_ the time?” When he nodded, she grimaced. “Was I too rough? I don’t want to—”  
  
He silenced her words by kissing her, something he’d done more than once since he’d shown up at her door. He’d likely be happier if no one ever talked at all. “If I don’t like something you’re doing, you’ll know it,” he said simply. After she settled against him again, he let out a sigh—the word that came to mind was ‘contented’ but she was convinced that had to be wishful thinking. Mason was hardly the type to ever be content with anything. In fact, that he hadn’t headed for the door as soon as she admitted defeat was more than a little surprising.  
  
A comfortable silence fell between them, though they kept touching each other. As his fingers danced down her spine, she ran her nails very lightly over the nape of his neck. It made his breathing slow. This was the most relaxed—and least hostile—she’d ever seen him.   
  
“You were blacked out there for a few minutes,” he said idly, breaking the silence after a bit. Something in his tone made her wonder if he was actually worried. “Did me drinking from you…”  
  
“Make me have the most mind-blowing orgasm ever?” she slurred. Moving her hand to his face, she traced a finger along his jawline. His question explained a great deal, like why he hadn’t bolted yet. She twisted against him so she could better look him in the eye. “And I wasn’t blacked out, exactly.” When he cocked an eyebrow at her in disbelief, she grunted. “I wasn’t! But if I ever wondered what tripping on drugs felt like, I think I know.” The words came out before she realized what she’d said, and she nearly groaned at his expression. He looked entirely too pleased with himself. Well, she supposed he had reason for that. She’d be lucky if the landlord didn’t throw her out after the noise they’d made all night and morning.   
  
“So, I’m like a drug, huh?” His long lips curled into a cocky grin. “You addicted already, sweetheart?”  
  
Grunting, Dezh rolled her eyes. “I’m _not_ feeding your ego anymore today.”   
  
“You wanna bet on that, too? The day’s still young.” He ran his tongue over his lips when she glared at him, then dragged his teeth over his bottom lip. It made her pulse quicken, as it always had before, and all she could think about was kissing him. And more. His knowing smirk grated, though. “So, you’re afraid to bet me on it? Because you know I’m right.”   
  
“Fine, you’re on,” she growled softly, though her words were still lightly slurred. It was a tossup if her inability to enunciate stemmed from lack of sleep or from having so many orgasms her brain had exited stage left to recover. She leaned toward the latter explanation, which made her realize something. “Wait, I don’t even know what you’re getting from the first bet yet.”  
  
Another laugh bubbled out of him. Damn, he was even sexier when he laughed. “It didn’t occur to you to ask that _before_ you agreed to it?” When she grunted at him, he chuckled.   
  
The desire to point out _he_ hadn’t asked what _she_ ’d have demanded had she won was almost overwhelming, but he’d just say he’d known he’d win. What the hell had made her think she _wouldn_ ’t be the one to break first? Vampires had superior strength and speed, and apparently stamina, too. Dammit. Maybe if she got enough sleep first, they could have a rematch. _Yeah, like the only reason for a rematch isn’t just to get him back into bed?_ She suddenly wished her brain would piss off again—she didn’t remember inviting it back yet. “Why do I get the feeling you’re gonna make me pay dearly for this?” she finally asked, letting out a contented sigh when he ran his fingers down the side of her neck where he’d bitten her.   
  
“Because that’s the plan,” he growled softly, squeezing her ass with his other hand.   
  
Wrinkling her nose, she asked, “You won’t even give me a _hint_ as to what I’ve gotten myself into?”   
  
“Sweetheart, you won’t even know _when_ I’m gonna make you pay up until I do.” He kissed her before she could object, his tongue lazily exploring her mouth. When he stopped, he flopped over onto his back, putting one arm under his head. The other stayed wrapped loosely around her.   
  
Taking advantage of the quiet moment, and the fact that he was stretched out in a way that put his body on display, Dezh let her gaze skim over him. Her hands and mouth already knew his body better than her eyes, which bothered her for one reason and one reason only: she wanted to commit every inch of him to memory. _What? Where the hell did that come from?_ Well, he _was_ nearly perfect. The hard lines of his face, those grey bedroom eyes, the freckles that trailed down his hard chest to his firm stomach to his—  
  
“Gettin’ an eyeful?” he asked, interrupting her fun.   
  
She sighed and rolled her eyes, before meeting his gaze. “Ogling you doesn’t count as feeding your ego, so you haven’t won that bet yet.”   
  
“Doesn’t matter,” he snorted. “I’ll still win. And I already know what I’m gonna make you do.”   
  
A deep growl rolled in her chest at his smugness. There was no point in asking—he was apparently in the mood to jerk her chain—so she scowled at him. Unfortunately, her threatening expression was ruined when she tried, and failed, to suppress a yawn. When she opened her eyes again to find him watching her, she had no doubt he was about to leave. _Shit_. Some strange compulsion prompted her to suddenly blurt out, “You know, I might have declared defeat too soon.”  
  
He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Oh?”   
  
A sharp breath escaped her when his hand suddenly moved between her legs again. She gripped his wrist and growled, “I mean, my mouth still works fine.”   
  
Surprise flashed in his eyes as he stared at her, seemingly frozen in place. After a few moments, he let out a chuckle and smiled. An _actual_ smile. “That’s the spirit, sweetheart. But let’s get you a drink first.”   
  
She blinked and scrunched her face at him in confusion, thinking she must have heard him wrong. Get her a drink? When the hell did he become concerned with her well-being? “What?”  
  
“All that screaming left you sounding like you swallowed broken glass,” he told her. “It’s killing my ears.” Okay, that made more sense than him actually giving a crap that she might be thirsty. “And I wanna try out that little oak table in the corner of the kitchen.” He abruptly rolled on top of her with a look that made her temperature skyrocket and the blood rush out of her head. His voice dropped to a sexy whisper, “Maybe after your mouth gets too tired, you’ll be ready for me to make you scream more.” His smirk shifted into a feral grin. “If not, there’s the one place I _haven’t_ fucked you yet.” Before she could do more than look at him wide-eyed, he disentangled from her, rolled to his feet, then pulled her off the bed.   
  
As soon as she tried to stand, her knees buckled. He caught her before she fell, scooping her up into his arms. “I can walk. I’m fine.” She huffed at his exasperated expression, then slipped her arms around his neck to hold onto him, anyway.   
  
He rolled his eyes and snorted, heading out of the bedroom. “If you fell off a bloody mountain and were bleeding to death at the bottom of it, you’d insist you were fine.”  
  
“If I fell off a mountain, I’d be splattered all over the ground. Unless it was like, just a big hill or something.” She grinned when he started laughing, shaking her in the process. “I’m glad the thought of my blood and guts decorating the bottom of a mountain amuses you so much.”  
  
“You’re insane.” Oddly, the declaration lacked his normal derogatory tone.   
  
For once, she didn’t argue and, instead, amused herself by kissing and sucking on his neck as he carried her toward the kitchen. Besides, given how he affected her, Dezh couldn’t help but wonder if he was right.   
  
                                                                                    *  
  
Wrinkling his nose, Felix checked his phone again for messages. It was already after noon and Mason still hadn’t made it back yet. He didn’t respond to texts and calls went straight to voicemail. Dezh wasn’t answering hers either, which was odd for her. Usually, she responded in mere minutes. He checked the time again. Honestly, he was beginning to worry.  
  
“Where’s Mason?”  
  
Felix turned his head at the sound of Adam’s voice and nearly flinched. Glancing at his phone again, he sighed. “He hasn’t made it back yet.”   
  
Adam’s expression turned sour quickly, his jaw tightening and brows knitting together into a frown. “Text Dezh and—”  
  
“She’s not responding.”   
  
“Dezh isn’t responding to your texts?” Nate asked, stepping out of the hallway and around Adam. Concern was more apparent in his tone than annoyance, but the latter was still there. When Felix shook his head, Nate sighed. “That’s not like her.”  
  
Adam nodded once. “Mason still hasn’t returned either. And Rebecca wants us all at the facility in less than an hour.”   
  
Felix eyed the team leader with a frown. “Why? They already have information about the attack on Mason?”  
  
“Yes.” His mouth tight, Adam went to the window and looked out. “Felix, call the station and see if they’ve heard from her. She’s either there already or called in. She’d never fail to show up without a word.”   
  
Felix nodded in agreement—the team leader was right about that. Flipping through his contact list, he clicked on Tina’s cell number and smiled. The woman was a drunken spaz, but she was funny. And would likely know Dezh’s whereabouts. Even with her and Mason’s extreme level of flirting, Felix found it hard to believe they were still at it.   
  
“Officer Poname.”   
  
“Hi Tina,” Felix said pleasantly. “This is Felix…”  
  
“Huh, that’s weird. I thought I had programmed your number in.” The sound of shuffling papers carried over the line, but her tone was friendly and cheery, as usual. “I thought you and the other two would be out with Dezh and Mason.”  
  
_Out_ with them? Felix blinked. “I was actually looking for them. They aren’t answering their phones.”  
  
Tina snorted and dropped her voice lower, likely so no one nearby could hear her words. “I called her earlier because she was late. She said she and Mason were investigating something. She sounded strange. Like she was in pain. Or maybe, um…” When she coughed a few times into the phone, Felix jerked it away from his ear. The woman sounded like she was trying her best not to laugh.   
  
“Something _not_ painful?” he finished for her, chuckling.   
  
This time, the officer laughed heartily. “You read my mind. That woman could do with some fun in her life, though.”   
  
“Definitely. But thanks for the tip. I think I know where to find them now.” After he ended the call, Felix chuckled again. Oh, this would be fun.   
  
“Where are they?”   
  
Felix looked up at Adam and groaned. Okay, maybe _this_ part wouldn’t be fun.   
  
“Well?” Adam prompted, looking more impatient than usual.   
  
“I _think_ they might be…” Felix dropped his voice to a near whisper, doing his best to hide a grin, “At the detective’s apartment.”   
  
The silence that fell over the room was far from comfortable, and the looks that passed between the team leader and Nate only worsened the situation. “I told you we needed to talk to him,” Nate said with a disapproving sigh.   
  
“I spoke with Nadezhda about his… ways.” When Adam used Dezh’s full name, it was a sure sign she’d either done something he didn’t like or a precursor to him barking orders at her. Neither situation ended well, typically. The two of them got along surprisingly well, despite their rocky beginning, but when they clashed on something they got under each other’s skin easier than any two people Felix had ever met. “I believed her intelligent enough to take heed and keep things professional.”  
  
“She likes him,” Felix offered, ignoring his instincts to stay out of it.   
  
Nate’s gaze fell heavily on him. “Do I need to remind you how that goes? This isn’t one of Mason’s normal _things_. Dezh is part of the team now, and I’d like to keep it that way.”  
  
“So would I.” Felix sighed inwardly. Usually, they ignored Mason’s behavior since it didn’t affect the team. Nate had—as he’d put it a few months ago at the hospital—cleaned up Mason’s messes on several occasions, which usually meant soothing hurt feelings and making it clear Mason never wanted anything that lasted longer than one night. Or a few hours, whatever the case. So, in one way, he understood Nate’s concern, since this was one of the their own.   
  
But Felix had a sneaking suspicion this was different. There seemed to be something more between the two of them, past all the flirting and dirty talk. They actually got along well. As well as anyone could get along with Mason, anyway. Regardless, Dezh _was_ one of them now, and Felix knew her well enough to know she’d never walk out on them, no matter what Mason did. Prickliness aside, she got attached to people quickly. Once she let them in, or they pushed their way in, anyway. One glance at Nate and Adam made him realize that argument would get him nowhere, though, so he kept his mouth shut.   
  
“We need to get control of this,” Nate said with a frown.  
  
Felix grimaced—get control of it? What did they plan to do? Keep Mason and Dezh from being alone from now on? She swore all of them already had some sort of pact like that.   
  
“Agreed.” Adam sighed loudly. “Let’s go get them.”   



	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam, Nate, and Felix arrive at the detective's apartment to fetch Mason and Dezh for a meeting with Rebecca. As expected, the only one amused by what happens next is Felix.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is fairly PG-13. After all, they can't bang 24/7, though Mason may think otherwise. Hopefully, it still entertains.

**_Chapter 5_**  
  
Before Felix ever put his foot on the first step of the stairs that led to the detective’s apartment, he was hit with a cloud of… well, sex. He’d caught a whiff of it farther away, and had no doubt as to the source, but now it was far more than a whiff. “Phew, somebody’s been gettin’ busy,” he chuckled, then coughed from the overpowering scent.   
  
Neither Adam nor Nate acknowledged his comment, but Felix could’ve sworn he heard Adam growl. Both looked tense with disapproval. What was that thing Dezh said? Like they had ginormous sticks up their asses? Felix chuckled and shook his head at the other two vampires, who seemed to want nothing more than to pretend the entire situation was not what it appeared. By the time they reached the door, however, it was impossible to ignore the signs. Not only had the smell of sex become strong enough to choke them all, there were also interesting noises coming from inside the apartment.   
  
With an annoyed huff, Adam knocked on the door. Felix had to credit him with the amount of self-control he displayed, especially since he looked like he wanted nothing more than to smash the door down. It wasn’t the first time they’d had to track Mason down in the middle of one of his trysts—as Nate liked to call them—but it was the first time they’d found him at the apartment of another team member. After a brief moment, Adam pounded harder on the door.  
  
_That’s not the only thing getting pounded around here._ The thought made Felix snort. Both Nate and Adam glared at him, but when Adam started to bring his fist to the door again, Felix stopped him. “I don’t think that’ll get you anywhere, at this point.” Chances were, neither Mason nor Dezh even noticed the noise. Or they’d decided to ignore it.   
  
“We have to—”  
  
“We will,” Felix interrupted, throwing the team leader a small smirk before reaching for the wristband on his left arm. The silicone pocket on the inside of the band was still too tight, making it difficult for him to get his target free. After a few moments, he finally managed to get a grip on the key and free it from its hiding place. The wristband wouldn’t have been his first choice for an accessory—it was too bland, by far—but Dezh had gotten it for him, so he wore it, anyway. She did try, after all. Plus, when she’d given him a key to her place, she’d sworn he'd never be able to get the thing in and out of the pockets of his jeans because they were too tight. “Here we go.”   
  
Nate stared at the key as though it were a snake, and as likely to bite him. “She gave you a key to her apartment?”   
  
Felix nodded, but offered no explanation. Better for all involved that no one else knew why he had a key. Neither he nor Dezh wanted to hear the lecture that would follow.   
  
Quietly, he opened the door and froze. Covering his mouth, Felix muffled his snickering. It wasn’t just the scent of sex and sweat, or the strange way Dezh’s scent had merged with Mason’s to the point where he could pick out neither of them individually, but the normally spotless apartment looked as though it had weathered a storm. Torn clothing littered the floor, along with what appeared to be the buttons from Mason’s jeans. One of Mason’s shoes laid on the floor near the couch, while the other had been thrown so close to the door Felix nearly tripped over it when he took two steps inside. His gaze scanned the room further to find a table lamp on the floor and a side table that had been knocked over. Laughter shook his chest and bubbled from his mouth. The two of them must’ve literally attacked each other! And now it seemed they failed to recognize they were no longer alone.   
  
“Oh Dezh,” he yelled, barely able to contain his laughter long enough to say her name. “Could you and Mason come out here?”  
  
“What the hell!” Mason’s growl was nearly loud enough to shake the walls, but not loud enough to drown out Dezh’s stream of curses. “Why the hell does Felix have a key to your apartment?”   
  
“When we go patrolling alone, sometimes we go out and drink afterward. I lost my key one night and… don’t look at me like that! He’s like a little brother to me!”   
  
Little? Felix snorted. He was like sixty years older and five inches taller than her!  
  
“Like I give a shit.”   
  
Mason’s tone didn’t quite match his words. Was he _jealous_? That was priceless! Felix held his stomach as he snickered. Neither Nate nor Adam looked nearly as amused. Well, at least they were too focused on Dezh and Mason to worry about him getting the detective drunk on a regular basis. It wasn’t his fault she was so hilarious when she drank, especially when she constantly swore she wasn’t drunk!  
  
Adam shouted, “Get out here!”   
  
“No freaking way,” Dezh snapped as something fell to the floor with a loud clang. A moment later, a loud popping noise echoed through the apartment. Were they in the kitchen? “Dammit, Mason, there’s whipped cream everywhere now!”  
  
“Here, I’ll get that bit,” he said dryly, shortly before Dezh let out a loud moan.   
  
Felix laughed harder, falling onto the couch. He sniffed, then immediately got to his feet. Yeah, they’d done it there, and it felt damp. _Ugh_! As entertaining as all this was, he didn’t really want to be that close to the evidence. He glanced through the doorway to the kitchen, chortling when he saw a can of whipped cream rolling across the floor.   
  
“Out here!” Adam thundered. “Now!”  
  
“You heard the man,” Mason snorted. “Let’s go.”   
  
“If you want him to ogle you while your junk’s hanging out and like _that_ , you’re—”  
  
“If you hadn’t licked all the whipped cream off it again, then—”  
  
Dezh growled loudly, just as Nate covered his face with his hands. “I am _not_ going out there naked.” Her voice dropped to what she likely believed to be a whisper, but Felix still heard it. “Ow, it hurts every time I move.”   
  
Mason barked a laugh. “Good.” His head popped around the doorway. Thankfully, most of his naked body was hidden behind the wall. A pile of something white was smushed into his hair on the right side of his head. Felix decided to assume it was whipped cream. “You’re gonna have to wait outside. The princess doesn’t want you ogling her.”   
  
“Oh, eat me!” Dezh’s voice carried through the entire apartment.   
  
Mason glanced back into the kitchen. “I already did. Repeatedly. Did blacking out so many times affect your memory or something?”   
  
“I only blacked out once!” she snapped, then quickly amended her statement. “I mean, I did _not_ black out!”  
  
“Four times,” Mason snorted.   
  
“Five minutes,” Adam said. Given how tightly his jaw was clenched, it was a wonder all of his teeth didn’t crack. “And then we’re coming back in. We need to get moving.”    
  
Mason shrugged and disappeared back into the kitchen. “Sucks for you, sweetheart, since you can’t walk.”   
  
Felix snorted, but his quiet amusement erupted into a loud laugh when Adam opened the door and practically ran out of the apartment. Nate wasn’t too far behind him, but Felix hesitated, glancing back toward the kitchen with a grin before pulling the door closed behind him.   
  
                                                                                  *  
  
Drawing in a long breath, Adam checked the time. One minute to go, and neither Mason nor the detective had come to the door. Next to him, Felix chuckled. Even a stern glare did nothing to stem the young vampire’s amusement, however. Adam sighed and shook his head. Nothing about this situation was funny, and not only due to the fact they’d likely be late to the meeting with Rebecca.  
  
“Five minutes are up,” he declared, opening the door and walking in without issuing a warning first. His green eyes swept the room. It appeared Dezh had straightened up a bit, at least. The overturned table was now upright and the clothing that had been strewn about the living room was no longer in sight. The place still reeked of sex, though, so strongly Adam feared he might choke.   
  
Moving to the window, he glared at the closed door at the end of the room as Mason and Dezh’s voices carried through the thin walls. Their conversation was not really one he cared to hear, but he wasn’t leaving.   
  
“…gotta sew the buttons back on my jeans,” Mason said in a growl. “I can’t even close them up!”  
  
“I can’t sew.” Dezh paused. When she spoke again, she made no effort to hide her amusement. “I have a stapler. Want me to staple them back on?”  
  
“If you think I’m letting you anywhere near my junk with a stapler, you’re crazier than I thought.”   
  
“Gimme the damned pants and buttons.” Dezh sounded exasperated, though it likely had naught to do with Mason’s button issue. “I have this button fixer thingy that may work.”   
  
“It’ll take too long and Adam already has a bug up his ass.” He huffed loudly before continuing his litany of complaints. “Ugh. My shirt looks like I went through a bloody war.” The two fell silent for a short time, the only sound from the room the opening and closing of a drawer.  “Why the hell do you have a drawer full of men’s shirts?”  
  
“I buy them to sleep in.” Her tone was all too familiar. Adam knew it so well he could almost _feel_ her roll her eyes, and that knowledge made the corners of his mouth inch up ever so slightly. “They’re more comfortable than anything else, especially when it’s cold.”  
  
Mason snorted loudly. “You’re the only woman I’ve met I’d actually believe that story from.” A slight pause. “You still have some in your hair. No… on the… yeah, there ya’ go.”   
  
“I should’ve never told you—”  
  
“That you only screwed two guys before, and neither of them had a clue how to get you off? Or—”  
  
Felix barked a loud laugh, but before Mason could finish his sentence, Adam yelled, “Both of you get out here! Now!”   
  
Only a few moments passed—in silence, thankfully—before Dezh opened the door and emerged from her bedroom with Mason on her heels. “Good God, Adam, who pissed in your Froot Loops?”  
  
Ignoring Mason, Adam just stared at the detective as she walked—no, limped—into the room. Instead of her normal attire—black cargo pants, a black tank, and boots—she wore pants that were practically molded to her body. Still black, but they stretched when she moved. Far less practical than her cargo pants, they had no pockets at all. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”   
  
She stared at him blankly, then glanced over to the clock on the wall and grimaced. “Holy shit, it’s later than I thought.”  
  
Adam nodded. “Did you just intend to skip work today?”  
  
“I told Tina I was—”  
  
“Investigating something with Mason?” Felix finished, chuckling. “Yeah, we can see what you were investigating. When I talked to her, she said you sounded like you were either in pain or—”   
  
“That was _not_ pain,” Mason said with a smirk, dropping onto the couch and lighting a cigarette.   
  
Adam watched as a blush crept up Dezh’s neck and face. Pointedly avoiding looking at either Mason or Felix, she focused on Adam and cleared her throat. “You said you wanted us to go to the facility later, anyway. So, I… didn’t think it would hurt to take the morning… off.” She said the last with a bit of a guilty look.   
  
“Getting off, she means,” Felix corrected, grinning when she shot him a death glare.   
  
Adam pinned the young vampire with a stern look. “Felix, enough.”   
  
Dezh stepped further into the room, but it was all too apparent how gingerly she moved. Had he not known better, Adam would’ve believed she’d been in battle all night. “Seriously, I thought we weren’t going to the facility until later this afternoon.”  
  
“There has been a change in plans,” he told her, deciding it best not to discuss what had happened between her and Mason just yet. “Rebecca wants to meet with us about the attack on Mason last night.”   
  
Mention of the previous night’s events made her frown. “Do I have time to shower, at least?”  
  
Adam shook his head. “Unfortunately, not.”  
  
“Okay, I’ll meet you guys there, then, if you want. Since you can get there—”  
  
“I’ll ride with you,” Adam interrupted, ignoring Felix’s sniggering. “There’s something we need to discuss on the way.”   
  
A sigh escaped her lips and she looked as though she’d been sentenced to a fate worse than death. To her credit, she didn’t argue. Clearly, she knew what he wished to discuss with her. “Let me get some shoes on and get my things. I’ll be quick.” Somehow, she managed to avoid looking at anyone on her way back to her room.   
  
Looking to Nate, Adam gave a nod. “You three go. We’ll be there shortly.”  
  
Adam watched Mason push himself off the couch and follow Nate and Felix to the door. He paused, turning and locking gazes with Adam, his grey gaze unreadable. Though it appeared he had something to say, he hesitated.   
  
“Mason,” Nate said, stepping back inside the apartment, “let’s go.”   
  
Mason huffed. “Yeah, I’m coming.” Still, he didn’t immediately leave and, instead, stared at Adam. He knew the other vampire well enough to know he couldn’t decide whether to speak his mind or not. After a few more moments, Mason finally rolled his eyes and left the apartment, slamming the door closed behind him.   
  
Sighing loudly, Adam closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. He didn’t need this today. Or at all.   
  
“Are you okay?”   
  
He looked up at Dezh, his eyes narrowing. She’d pulled her shoulder-length hair back into a ponytail and donned a pair of heeled boots, but she still walked as though she were injured. Worse, her concern for him was all too sincere. “Sometimes, you don’t make it easy to reprimand you.”  
  
Her lips curled into an impish smirk as they moved to the door and exited the apartment. “So, we can skip the lecture, then?”   
  
Pulling the door closed behind him, Adam checked to make sure she’d locked it before falling into step beside her. “What do you think?”  
  
She looked up at him and sighed. “Shit.”   
  



	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team meets with Rebecca, who has some information about the attack on Mason. She and Dezh clash about the next step, and Dezh decides to take matters into her own hands. When Mason volunteers to follow her, things get a bit steamy...

**_Chapter 6_**  
  
Showered and dressed in clean clothes, Mason ran his fingers through his hair. It was almost dry, though it had left the shoulders of his button-up shirt cool and damp. The slight chill was refreshing, which was welcome since the shower had relaxed him a bit too much, so much that he wished he could just lie on the bed in silence and do nothing. Too bad that wasn’t an option. Skipping the meeting with Rebecca would lead to a lecture, and he had no intention of sitting through one of those anytime soon.   
  
His gaze went to the shirt on the bed, the one Dezh had loaned him. He picked it up, thinking he should give it back to her after the meeting. The thought faded once he had it in his hand, however. A deep red color, the material was softer than that of any shirt he owned. And fit really well. Shifting it between his fingers, he closed his eyes for a moment when the distinct sweetness of her scent tickled his nose. He brought the shirt closer and inhaled deeply. Yeah, it definitely smelled like her, even though he’d worn it for a bit.   
  
With a shake of his head, he tossed the shirt back onto his bed. Screw it. She’d destroyed his shirt, so she owed him one, anyway.   
  
He checked the clock and sighed when he saw the time. The meeting with Agent Volkov would start in a few minutes, provided everyone had made it there. Even with Dezh’s tendency to speed, he had his doubts as to whether she and Adam had arrived yet. His suspicions were confirmed when he made it to the common room and found everyone but Dezh and Adam waiting. Wordlessly, Mason perched on a side table in the back of the room, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it.   
  
“How are you feeling?”  
  
Mason’s gaze went to Rebecca when she spoke. “Fine,” he replied with a shrug. He knew what she was getting at—if there were any aftereffects from the drug—but he’d recovered from the attack as soon as he’d drank a bit of the detective’s blood. Not that he had any intention of sharing that fact.  
  
“Yeah,” Felix said with a grin, “he had a _really_ good night. And morning, apparently.”   
  
Nate cleared his throat. “Felix.”   
  
Though Mason glared at the young vampire, he couldn’t quite manage a snarl. For some reason. Regardless, he pointedly ignored Rebecca’s questioning look.   
  
“Hopefully, Nadezhda and Adam will be here soon so we can get underway.” Though her tone was unemotional, Rebecca’s heartrate was elevated. Something had her anxious, but what? He assumed it was whatever had prompted this meeting, but there was no telling with her. Whatever it was, she wouldn’t speak of it until the meeting began.   
  
Shrugging, Mason took a long draw from his cigarette. The room fell into a blissful silence, the only sounds so soft they were barely noticeable, even to _his_ ears.   
  
When his cigarette had burned to the halfway point, and he was surrounded by a cloud of smoke, he heard two sets of footsteps growing closer. He sniffed. A small smirk played on his lips—Dezh’s scent was easy to catch, even when it was drowned in the smell of sex and him. “They’re here,” he said dryly.   
  
Dezh came in first, looking as though she wanted to chew steel. All the tension he’d rid of her of earlier had returned, likely thanks to the team leader, who was right on her heels. He looked only slightly less infuriated than her, and quickly crossed the room to lean against a tall chair next to the one in which Felix was sprawled.   
  
“Are you unwell?” Rebecca asked, standing in front of the detective. “You’re all red and—”  
  
“Adam insisted on riding with the windows down on the way here,” Dezh interrupted. Mason smirked at that—Adam wouldn’t have been able to tolerate riding in a closed-up car with her without choking. “Probably got wind burn or something. I’m fine.”  
  
“Better than fine, considering—hey!” Felix’s teasing ended when Adam bumped his chair. Hard.   
  
Rebecca glanced back at the others in the room before turning her attention back to Dezh, who was clearly trying to get away. “You look tired, Dezh.” Frowning, the older woman sniffed twice. Even a human could smell the cloud of sex around the detective. No enhanced senses needed. “Did you have a rough night? Or busy morning?”  
  
Mason couldn’t help snorting at the question, and Dezh apparently found some amusement in it as well. “In a sense,” she responded with a slight smirk. “Can we get on with this?” With that, she brushed past her mother and sank into one of the velvet armchairs. She tried to hide the fact that she was sore, but the deliberate way she moved gave it away, if nothing else.   
  
Her mother eyed her for a moment, then shook her head. “Last night, Adam delivered the injection tube used in the attack on Mason so the lab could work on determining its contents. They’ve already made progress, and what they’ve discovered is disturbing, to say the least.”   
  
“What is it?” Dezh asked, sitting forward in her chair. Her features contorted ever so slightly in discomfort when she moved.  
  
“Well, that’s the thing. They’ve never seen anything like it.” Rebecca shook her head and let out a long breath.   
  
“Could it be from Echo World?” Dezh got to her feet and started pacing. Hobbling. Whatever.   
  
“It’s a possibility.” Rebecca sighed. “Our scientists managed to synthesize something very close to what was in that tube. Close enough to understand it and duplicate its effects, at least. Either one of the ingredients came from Echo or the entire solution was manipulated with magic.”  
  
“Did the Agency use magic to—”  
  
“They aren’t certain which,” Rebecca said, ignoring Dezh’s question, “and without a larger sample to work with, it’s unlikely they’ll find the answer. That’s not the most troubling part, though.” Her gaze fell on Mason. “Whatever it is, it’s effects are stronger than DMB. Once they synthesized it, they ran tests with supernatural blood. The amount of liquid it would take to fill even a quarter of that tube is enough to kill most supernaturals. They can’t figure out how you survived it.”  
  
Mason felt Dezh’s eyes on him, but avoided looking at her while Rebecca was focused on him. Uncertain how to respond, he took another drag on his cigarette.   
  
Adam broke the long silence. “It was—”  
  
“It was likely a combination of Mason being so strong and the amount of the drug they used,” Dezh interrupted. “We have no way of knowing how full that tube was when they hit him. And the liquid DMB Murphy used on him that day would’ve been enough to kill weaker vampires, right?”   
  
A small wave of relief washed over Mason when Rebecca’s gaze moved from him to Dezh. “Yes, that’s true, but this liquid is far more potent. The lab called in all hands last night after they analyzed the residue.”  
  
“So if this stuff is something the Agency has never seen, and the missing ingredient is either from Echo or magic, then whoever attacked Mason is either from Echo or a… mage or witch or some magicky person, right?”  
  
“Possibly.” Rebecca frowned as she watched Dezh continue to pace. “More than likely, it was supernatural hunters. Or vampire hunters. We just can’t figure out how they managed to get their hands on such a drug.”   
  
“Excuse me?” Dezh growled and stopped abruptly, her expression turning savage. “ _Vampire_ hunters?”  
  
Rebecca nodded. “Groups like that have been around for ages. I thought we had mentioned this before.” Mason thought so too, but Dezh might not have been listening at the time. She had a tendency to tune people out when they droned on too long. It was a bad habit, given how much she still had to learn about the supernatural. “A couple of weeks ago, a well-known group of hunters showed up in the area, but they’ve gone underground. We suspect they’re involved.”  
  
“And what does the Agency intend to do when they catch them?”   
  
Rebecca exchanged a look with Nate, who appeared more than a little uncomfortable. They knew Dezh wouldn’t like the answer. It was Adam who responded, however. “We don’t capture them.”   
  
Tensing, Dezh started pacing the room again. Mason inhaled deeply from his cigarette as he watched her—she looked like a caged animal, one ready to attack anything in her way. It would’ve looked more threatening had she not been too sore to move quickly. “So, let me get this straight,” the detective growled, “these assholes hunt you guys, try to kill you, and the Agency just _lets them go_?”  
  
“They’re humans, Dezh.” Rebecca cleared her throat. “They don’t pose a danger to our agents. Typically. And protocols prohibit us from—”  
  
“Of course, you can’t do anything,” Dezh interrupted, coming to a stop in front of her mother. “But as a cop, _I_ can.”   
  
“You can’t—”  
  
“Let me make something abundantly clear to you, _Agent_ Volkov.” Dezh’s icy tone, as much as her words, nearly made Mason grimace, and when he looked around the room, he saw the same reaction from the rest of the team. Rebecca visibly flinched. “The Agency may be fine with letting psychopaths attack their agents just because they’re humans, but _no one_ fucks with my friends and walks away. Especially not in my bloody town.”  
  
“Aw, she called us friends!” Felix said, clearly not paying attention to the rest of the conversation.   
  
Rebecca let out a breath, crossing her arms over her chest. Mason had never seen her look so defensive. “What do you plan to do? Fight them? Make up charges to arrest them? You can’t take them all on by yourself, Nadezhda. I don’t want you endangering yourself by—”  
  
“Enough with the concerned mother crap,” Dezh snapped. “Maybe I would’ve welcomed it when I was five and needed a mother and you weren’t there. But time didn’t stop just because you weren’t around and I’m not the little girl you kept leaving behind. I’m a cop now, not some wilting flower, and I get paid to do dangerous shit.”  
  
Rebecca let out a long-suffering sigh, her tone firm when she spoke. “You have to listen to me. You can’t—”  
  
“You have no idea what I can or can’t do. I spent most of my childhood learning how to fight. How to protect myself. How to be self-sufficient. How do everything _alone_. So I don’t need your concern or your protection. I learned how to do without both a long time ago.” She shook her head, her expression tight. “Here’s the deal: I _will_ deal with these assholes. And I’m doing it my way. The best thing you can do is stay the hell out of my way.”   
  
“Nadezhda,” Adam began, his tone uncharacteristically gentle, “We have encountered vampire hunters before. Only the drug they used concerns us, not the hunters. I appreciate your dedication to the team, but this isn’t new to us.”   
  
Dezh’s face twisted in disgust and she spun on the team leader. The situation was serious, but Mason had to hide a smile behind his cigarette—he wouldn’t have been the least bit surprised if she’d started spitting fire. “And that’s supposed to make it okay? Mason almost _died_ , Adam.” She threw her hands up in the air and shook her head. “The drug concerns you, but how the hell are you gonna find out what it is, who made it, and how to get it out of the hands of these hunters without questioning them? Without getting them in custody?”  
  
“We have other ways of tracking any type of—” Rebecca began, only to have Dezh interrupt her.   
  
“I’ll beat the damn answers out of them, if I have to. Whatever this crap is they’ve managed to create could kill you guys. If you think I’ll sit by and let that happen, then you haven’t been paying attention.” Sighing, she cracked her neck. “If these _vampire hunters_ want any of you, they’ll have to come through me first.” Her gaze returned to Rebecca. “I need the files on these guys, the ones you think are behind this. If they have so much as an outstanding parking ticket, I want to find it. Can you get them for me?”  
  
Rebecca let out a resigned sigh and nodded. “Yes. Give me half an hour or so.”   
  
“Fine,” Dezh agreed. Her gaze narrowed, though she looked at no one in particular. Mason could almost see the wheels turning in her head. It didn’t take her long to decide her next move. It never did. “In the meantime, I’m going to the lab. I have an idea.”   
  
Of course, she didn’t share her thoughts with anyone. Mason rolled his eyes and let out an annoyed sigh as the woman spun on her heel and left the room without another word. Her team skills still needed serious work. She was far too accustomed to doing as she pleased, without input from anyone. Or even letting anyone know her intentions.   
  
“Wonderful,” Rebecca said with a sigh, rubbing her forehead. “Could one of you please follow her and make sure her idea doesn’t get her killed? She was always impulsive and reckless as a child, but now, she’s… worse.”  
  
“I’ll go,” Mason volunteered, hopping off the table. He ignored the shocked looks from the rest of the team.  
  
“Thank you, Mason.”    
  
One look at Rebecca’s forlorn expression made Mason stop near the door. Oddly, he felt a surprising temptation to try to say something, but what could he say? That Dezh wasn’t really that impulsive? That she only seemed that way because her mind worked faster than she could talk? Or that she _was_ reckless as hell, so much so it was a wonder she was still alive? Shrugging, he left without saying a word. That was more Nate’s thing, anyway.  
  
Thanks to her inability to walk at her normal speed, Dezh hadn’t made it far. The sight of her limping down the hallway brought a smirk to Mason’s lips. It didn’t take long to catch up to her.   
  
She glanced up at him with an annoyed look when he fell into step beside her. “Did Rebecca send you to spy on me?”  
  
Ignoring her question, he said, “You were kind of a bitch to her.”   
  
“Nothing I said was untrue.” There was no bitterness to her tone. No emotion at all, actually, just a strange matter-of-factness that seemed out of place for her. When she spoke again, she sounded more like herself again. “She needs to back the hell off and let me do my job.”   
  
He glanced down at her as they walked. With her boots on, she was almost average height. Still way shorter than him, though. And so annoyed that it poured off of her in waves. “What’s your problem, anyway?” A smirk played on his lips when she looked up at him. “Mad we got interrupted?”  
  
She snorted, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly. “That was the beginning of a downhill slide today, that’s for sure. Throw in a twenty-minute lecture from Adam on the way here, and then—”   
  
“A lecture about what?”  
  
“What do you think?” she asked, rolling her eyes and giving him a condescending look. “I heard the whole spiel, again, about how you shag once, then go along your way. About professionalism and thinking of the team first and all that crap.”  
  
_Again_? Mason’s mouth tightened. Adam was a good leader, and a friend, but sometimes he needed to mind his own damned business. _This_ was one of those times.   
  
“Then I get here and find out there are goddamned vampire hunters in Wayhaven, with some new drug that could kill you all.” Shaking her head, she scowled. “And she thought I’d just _accept_ that. Then pulls the ‘oh I don’t want you in danger’ bullshit.”   
  
Mason didn’t bother hiding his amusement at the way she mocked her mother. Despite his ability to see the humor in it, he respected Rebecca _way_ more than any human he’d ever met. Before Dezh, anyway. As soon as that thought crossed his mind, he stopped in his tracks. _Wait, what?_  
  
“Are you all right, Mason? You look like you’re gonna hurl.”  
  
His gaze went to her to find her standing an arm’s length away, her brow knit in concern. “I’m not the one limping around from getting ridden at a gallop.” He smirked at the way her cheeks reddened from her own turn of phrase, then he closed the distance between them. Her heartrate increased almost immediately, and he saw the goosebumps spring to life on her pale skin. “Why are we going to the lab, anyway? What’s this idea you’ve got?”  
  
She sniffed and cleared her throat. “Just a... random thought. It won’t take me long.” She tilted her head and looked up at him with what she likely intended to be an innocent expression. He nearly snarled in response. Did she really think she pulled that off? It was as ridiculous as putting a pink bow on a tiger to make it seem less deadly. “Why don’t you go back to the common room? I know you hate the lab.”  
  
“Nice try, sweetheart.” Calling her on it made her wrinkle her nose, but she still offered no explanation. It hadn’t taken him long to pick up on that particular habit of hers. Any time she thought someone might interfere with her plans, or she didn’t feel like providing answers she knew the team wouldn’t like, she avoided answering questions. Or changed the subject. When she did it to Adam or Nate, Mason found it amusing. Now, not so much.   
  
He moved in a flash, pushing her into an alcove in front of an office door. His smirk shifted to a satisfied smile at her sharp intake of breath. Heat sparked between them, nearly scorching his skin, but it felt so damned good. He pressed his body against hers, inhaling deeply. Being this close to her—inside the cloud around her that assaulted his senses—was intoxicating. The telltale smell of sex still lingered, and her own scent had merged with his. Beneath it all was sharp arousal, making her heart pound harder and breath quicken. Her body reacted even more intensely to him now than it had before.  
  
“Mason…” She practically purred his name as her hands moved to his hips and pulled him closer. How quickly her mood changed when he pushed the right buttons brought a smirk to his lips. “Teasing me right now is a bad idea. Unless you don’t mind people watching.”   
  
Placing his hands on either side of her neck and sliding his thumbs lightly over her jawline to her chin, he leaned closer and smiled when she swallowed hard. “I’m fine with public,” he growled, smiling wolfishly at the way she licked her lips as she looked up at him. The hunger in her dark green gaze made his cock twitch. “The question is, are you really that bold or is it just…” He trailed off with a soft moan when she reached between them to cup and squeeze his balls through his suddenly way-too-tight jeans.   
  
“Checkmate, you big tease.”   
   
Mason narrowed his eyes at her cocky smirk. Tease? Him? “You think?” he growled, slipping his hand between her legs. “How sore are you, sweetheart?”  
  
A moan escaped her lips when he rubbed his palm lightly against her pussy. She squirmed and moved a hand to the back of his neck to pull him to her.   
  
He stopped when his mouth was just a hair’s breadth from hers. “Thought you were too sore,” he whispered, sliding a finger along the crease of the thin pants she wore.   
  
She whimpered softly, gripping his cock through his jeans and sliding her palm down its length. “I’ll live.” Her tongue darted out and slowly swept over his bottom lip.   
  
Ever so lightly, he touched his tongue to hers, but pulled back when she moved closer to kiss him. The way her gaze darkened made him smirk. Before she had a chance to complain, he brushed his lips over hers teasingly. He did it again and again, leisurely sliding his hands over her hips and up her waist with a feather-light touch.   
  
Trembling slightly, she returned his provocative kisses and followed his lead. Both of her hands moved to his hips and glided unhurriedly up his stomach and chest. Even the warmth between them wasn’t enough to keep him from getting a slight chill at the way she touched him, her fingers light as a breeze, tickling and teasing his skin through his shirt. He returned the favor, drawing a whimper from her soft lips when his hands grazed over her breasts. Her nipples hardened to taut nubs beneath his thumbs and her chest shuddered from the unsteady breath she tried to draw.   
  
With a soft growl, he cupped her face in his hands and tilted her head ever so slightly so he could deepen the kiss a bit. Her lips parted immediately, but for once she didn’t try to wrest control from him. When he slipped his tongue into her hot mouth, she inhaled sharply and tentatively brushed her tongue against his. The air surrounding them grew thick with desire, but the more he teased her, the more compliant she felt against him. He wondered just how far he could push it. Ending the kiss, he trailed light kisses on her face, along her jaw, then her neck. The attention drew a soft whimper from her.   
  
When he softly sucked the spot he had bitten her earlier, she dropped her head back in invitation and let out a low moan. It was almost too tempting to resist, but he managed to stifle the urge and nibbled the spot instead. His name was a whisper on her lips as her hands continued their journey up his body to his neck, thumbs lightly tracing his jawline. When he sucked harder on her neck, she whimpered his name, making it sound almost like a plea. Beneath his lips, her blood pulsed harder and faster. Calling to him. As though she sensed what he wanted, she tangled her fingers in his hair, drew in another shaky breath, and pressed her body tighter against him.  
  
The scent of her arousal spiked and any thoughts of teasing her disappeared. Tearing his lips from her neck, he captured her mouth in a searing kiss. She kissed him back hungrily, trying futilely to get closer to him. One of his hands moved to her ass and jerked her hard against him as the other moved to squeeze one of her tits. His cock throbbed in his jeans, making him curse all the clothing in his way. All teasing aside, he considered fucking her right there in that alcove. Everyone else be damned.   
  
One of her hands moved between them to rub his cock, as if sensing his thoughts, but before they could manage more than that, he heard the door next to them open.   
  
“Pardon me.”   
  
With a snarl, Mason pulled away from Dezh, turning his gaze to the man who’d interrupted them.   
  
“I need to leave my office,” the intruder said, clearing his throat.   
  
Mason glared at him, feeling terribly tempted to throw his ass back inside. Or, better yet, throw him out and take Dezh into the guy’s office to finish what they’d started. But it was Dezh who spoke. “Goddammit all to hell!” she snapped, giving the man a look that made him take a step back. Shaking her head, she stomped out of the alcove and down the hallway.   
  
For a moment, Mason simply stared after her, and though he was just as pissed off at being interrupted, he couldn’t stop a chuckle from bubbling out of his chest. He caught up to her quickly, grasping her arm and spinning her back to him. “I know somewhere we can go and not be interrupted.”   
  
The way she stared up at him, her green eyes glazed with hunger for him, nearly made him forget where they were. Her chest heaved slightly as she stepped closer. “Tell me where it is and I’ll meet you there after I go to the lab.” She put her hands on his chest, caressing him lightly. Her tongue swept over her lips as she stared at him, but she gave herself a shake. “If I don’t go now, I don’t think I’ll make it there at all, not when all I want to do is…” A small smirk formed on her swollen lips. “You.”   
  
“I’m going with you,” he growled, moving closer to her and smirking back when the heat radiating from her grew more intense. His hand slipped around the back of her neck and he leaned down to whisper in her ear. “But make it quick, sweetheart. Anyone with a nose will be able to tell you’re dripping wet for me.” Before she could respond, he spun her away from him and gave her a little push to get her moving.   
  
Glancing down at the detective as they walked, Mason knew without a doubt he could convince her to forget the lab altogether. She was so turned on she could barely manage to keep her eyes off of him. And her hands, given the way she kept clenching and unclenching her fists. But really, as much as he hated the lab, he was a bit curious to see just what the hell she was trying so hard to hide.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate and Rebecca talk. Mason learns why Dezh wanted to go to the lab, and they both get a surprise or two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot sickens... er, thickens. After all, if it's porn with plot, there has to be a plot, right? Just three reminders for whoever is reading this. First, this is Sera's awesome sandbox, not mine--I'm just playing in it because I'm obsessed with it (and Mason!). 
> 
> Second, this story is AU, so it won't coincide with much past book 1. I may try to weave in some of what we learn in book 2, but that's about it, since I have the whole plot planned out until the end of the fic and am sending Dezh on a path our detectives won't otherwise be allowed to travel.
> 
> Third, I'm doing this story without a beta, so please forgive any errors I've missed. I try to catch them, but I'm only human. If you have input, and want to see something in particular, let me know. I'm more than willing to take requests. If they don't fit in the overall story, I can try a one-shot with whatever you have in mind. I like challenging myself. 
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy it! And thanks to Sera for giving us this cool world in which to play!

**_Chapter 7_**  
  
Nate frowned as Rebecca stuffed the stack of papers she’d just printed into an envelope. For a few moments, she simply stood there and stared at the envelope. “Are you having second thoughts about giving those to her?” he asked quietly.  
  
Rebecca’s head jerked up, as though she just remembered she was not alone. Her features were set with anxiety, something Nate was not accustomed to seeing. “No. It isn’t that.” Her brow furrowed further as she seemed to struggle with whatever she wanted to say.  
  
Hoping to help the situation, he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Mason will keep an eye on her. Try not to worry.”  
  
Glancing up at him, Rebecca sighed softly. “That’s easier said than done. You know how she is.”  
  
A slow smile formed on Nate’s lips and he nodded. “A force of nature? She comes by that naturally.”  
  
Her tension seemed to ease somewhat. “I just want her to be safe, Nate. It may not be entirely possible, given her job, but she is too impulsive. The way she rushed out of the meeting…”  
  
“What happened last night upset her, Rebecca,” he said softly, leaning against the wall.  
  
“Because she cares for all of you.” She cleared her throat. “Not that she’d admit it in those words. Concern manifests as anger. Everything does. It has since she was very young.”  
  
With a sigh, Nate rolled his lips together. Telling the woman her daughter showed concern in other ways wouldn’t help the situation, not when Dezh was so hostile toward her. “She just wants to protect us,” he finally said, unable to take the strained silence any longer.  
  
“I know.” Rebecca turned to him and sat on the edge of her desk. “I wanted to explain to her how we deal with these things. The protocols for dealing with humans who harm our agents. We don’t even know for certain this group attacked Mason.” She held up the envelope and sighed. “It was my intention to tell her all of this, but that look in her eyes frightened me.” Her brow creased in concern and her mouth tightened. “She would throw herself into danger for all of you in a heartbeat, without bothering to search for another way. She proved that with Murphy, at that warehouse. And that image of her lying there, bleeding, is still too fresh in my mind. All I could think about was stopping her. But I shouldn’t have made it about her safety. That was a mistake.”  
  
Nate nodded. “An understandable mistake, but yes, you’re right. She’s…” It felt strange to give the woman advice about her own daughter, but the fact of the matter was Rebecca didn’t seem to understand Dezh as well as he, Adam, Mason, and Felix already did. Perhaps it was proximity? Or trust. Despite Felix’s claims to the contrary, Dezh did not seem close to Rebecca at all, and she clearly didn’t trust her. It was a sad situation, one that needed to be remedied, though Nate was uncertain how to do that. “She prides herself on being capable. When you insinuate she isn’t, it angers her.”  
  
“Believe me, Nate, I know that.” She sighed, a small smile playing on her lips. “Her first full phrase was ‘do it myself.’ As soon as she was able to make a fist, she tried to snatch the bottle from me to hold it herself. She spoke in mostly understandable sentences, before she was a year old. She walked early. Slept in a bed early, because she refused to sleep in the crib. She never liked feeling trapped, or dependent on anyone for anything.” Rebecca shook her head. “You know she’d never let anyone tie her shoes? She’d snatch her foot away, say she’d do it herself, then made a mess of the laces. Until she got older, she tripped over them constantly. Falling down didn’t faze her. She’d just get back up again, and still wouldn’t let anyone do it for her.”  
  
“That sounds like her,” Nate said with a chuckle.   
  
“She was a strange child. Pain never deterred her, she feared nothing, and her temper…” Running a hand through her hair, Rebecca sighed. “If these hunters are responsible, and she gets her hands on them, I almost pity them.”  
  
“We’ll explain to her how the Agency handles these things, if you’d like.”  
  
“Yes, please do. I know I gave her the impression we simply let them go, no matter what they do.”  
  
Nate pushed away from the wall and pushed his hands into his pockets. “You know, her using the power of local law enforcement to deal with them might not be the worst idea.”  
  
Rebecca’s mouth tightened. Processing his words was clearly a struggle for her. “That isn’t why I have a problem with it,” she finally said quietly. “What concerns me is how this new drug would affect her, with her mutation and what Murphy did to her.”  
  
The thought had crossed Nate’s mind, as well. In fact, he and Adam had discussed it the night before. The way Dezh had snatched up the syringe without hesitation was disconcerting—she’d clearly assumed it wouldn’t harm her. Or, she’d simply not cared and wanted to protect them, no matter what. In all honesty, he wasn’t certain which was the case. “I agree. Her blood should be tested with it, the sooner the better.”  
  
“The problem is convincing her. Mention tests and she snarls. Unless we can convince her it’s for the good of the team, she’ll never agree to it. As she’s told me repeatedly, she hates being used as a lab rat.” She cleared her throat. “I couldn’t believe she went to the lab at all.”  
  
Nate nodded. “She probably went there so she could learn more about the drug.”  
  
Pushing the envelope into Nate’s hands, Rebecca let out a long breath. “Give these to her. I have a meeting in a while and things are tense enough between us as it is.” She paused, then looked him in the eye. “Will you try to convince her to have her blood tested with the drug?”  
  
“Of course,” he agreed, trying not to grimace. Dezh really did hate the lab, and anything to do with tests unless it was to help the team. But, hopefully, she’d listen to reason.  
  
                                                                                   *  
  
“Don’t scare Bentley. He’s a jumpy sort.”  
  
Mason rolled his eyes as he followed Dezh into the main lab. “Bentley? What the hell kind of name is Bentley?” And how had she managed to get so friendly with _anyone_ in the lab? When she failed to answer his question, he glared down at her.  
  
“Dezh!” Mason’s gaze went to the scrawny human rushing toward her. A squirrelly-looking bastard, he looked even younger than Dezh and moved so spastically it was amazing he didn’t hurt himself. And he was short, almost as short as the detective. “Did you hear what we learned about the drug you found last night? It’s—”  
  
“Let’s go to your office and talk,” Dezh interrupted impatiently, taking the guy’s arm and pushing him toward the back. Mason followed, not missing the change in her mood. He glanced to the right when he heard a squeak, and immediately looked away when he saw the dark-haired woman from whom the noise came. _Ugh_. One of his messes, as Nate would say.  
  
“…and we managed to synthesize a copy of it,” Bentley babbled, spinning to look at Dezh once they entered one of the rooms with a door.  
  
Stepping past Dezh, Mason eyed the area. What the hell was someone so new doing with a private lab office? Blinds covered the windows that faced the main lab, conveniently hiding everything inside. The outside wall was hidden by a couple of large machines, their innards whirring with life. Stools were scattered about the room in no particular order, between tables and lab stations, enough to seat half a dozen people, if they didn’t mind being cramped. The back wall was lined with one long row of tables and cabinets, covered with glass containers and chemicals. Oddly, the place didn’t stink of disinfectants the way main lab often did. On the other side of the room was a big metal desk, with files and papers strewn in front of two flat screen monitors. Near the desk was a door, though where it led Mason had no idea. Private offices in the lab, especially ones as fully equipped as this one, were always reserved for the senior scientists. Or pets of the big shots in charge.  
  
“Is that why you came to see me?” Bentley asked, sniffing loudly.  
  
“One of the reasons, yeah,” she answered, turning to shut the door. Mason watched her with narrowed eyes as she turned back around, pointedly avoiding looking at him—which was odd in and of itself, since she seemed to check him out every chance she got—but the way her pulse raced piqued his curiosity. Other than him, there wasn’t much, if anything, that rattled her. “Before we discuss that, though, I have a question—do you know how vampire hunters track vampires?”  
  
Bentley appeared as confused by her question as Mason felt, but he only paused slightly before blathering again. “Well, from the information I’ve been able to collect on them, they do it by scent. You must understand, most humans who call themselves vampire hunters are no more than charlatans, children playing at a game they cannot comprehend. They believe the traditionally accepted folklore surrounding the supernatural, rather than making any effort to learn the realities behind the—”  
  
“Focus, Bentley,” Dezh interrupted, rubbing her forehead with her fingers. “I assume these… charlatans, as you put it, aren’t a really a threat?” When he nodded, she continued, “So, most humans who hunt supernaturals are idiots. What about the rest?”  
  
“A small percentage of them are well-informed. But, generally, without the help of supernaturals, humans possess no reliable way to track them. Though it seems one of the groups of hunters the Agency observes developed a device. Well, the device is more a sensor, if you will, than a machine. Unit Tango recently found one of the prototypes, and it is amazingly advanced. It exhibits about a thirty percent success rate in accurately detecting pheromones from supernaturals, though it is not able to distinguish between them.”  
  
Tango? _Ugh_. Mason couldn’t stand those guys. But how did this twerp have information about this supposed device when neither he nor the rest of Unit Bravo had heard anything about it yet?  
  
Clearing his throat, Bentley kept talking. “Different breeds of supernaturals have different—”  
  
“I don’t have time for a lesson,” she growled with a huff. “What I need to know is if there’s a way to trick them. Or the device. To make them think a human is a vampire. To change a human’s scent well enough so even a supernatural would be fooled.”  
  
Only in that moment did Dezh’s initial question register. Only in that moment, did her repeated attempts to convince him to remain behind make sense. Mason glared at her, but she avoided his gaze. “ _That’s_ your plan?” he growled. “There’s no way—”  
  
“You could wear their clothes,” Bentley interrupted with a faraway look in his eyes. “That might work. If you give me some time, I could synthesize a liquid that would mimic a vampire’s pheromones well enough to trick the device. I’m just not certain my superiors would approve.”  
  
“Would they approve of all the tests I’ve let you run on me and my blood for your own experiments?” The man grimaced at her question. “What they don’t know won’t hurt them, right?”  
  
Again, Mason’s gaze went to Dezh. What the hell had she been letting this asshole do to her? And why? Just to get favors from him when she needed them? Huffing, he rolled his eyes. Of course, that was her reasoning.  
  
“Okay, okay,” the man said, holding his hands up in surrender. “I’ll do it. But why do you want to draw in hunters?” He paused only a moment before his eyes widened. “You want to catch whoever did this to Unit Bravo.”  
  
Dezh nodded. “Which brings me to—”  
  
“You do realize whoever did this could be supernatural?” Bentley interrupted. “And if you trick them into thinking you’re a vampire—”  
  
“My second reason for being here is related as well,” she said loudly, completely ignoring Bentley’s comment. Taking a couple of steps away, she picked up a vial of greenish-tinted liquid and gestured at Bentley with it. “Is this what you synthesized?”  
  
Bentley’s heart pounded faster, and so hard that Mason looked over at him. Why was he excited? “Yes. It’s a fairly strong dose. It would probably fill about half of the injection tube Agent du Mortain—”  
  
“Did you test it with my blood yet?”  
  
“Yes,” Bentley said hesitantly. “It—doesn’t react the way it does with vampire blood. But I couldn’t really determine what effect it _would_ have on you. It wasn’t clear from my tests. I mean, I don’t _think_ it would hurt you, but—”  
  
“Is there _any_ indication it would hurt me?” she interrupted, drumming her fingers on the stool at her side. When Bentley shook his head, she grabbed a syringe and stuck the needle in the vial. Slowly, the liquid filled the syringe.  
  
“Dezh, that dose is stronger than you should use for a test, but if you’ll—”  
  
“It’s fine.”  
  
Mason looked from her to Bentley and back again. She wouldn’t. “Don’t even think about it. You can’t…” His eyes widened and he trailed off when she suddenly jammed the needle into the crease of her left arm, emptying its contents in the time it took to blink. Before he could stop it. He turned to the lab nerd. “Goddammit, do something!”  
  
“She’s done this before,” Bentley said calmly, tilting his head and watching her closely.  
  
“What?” he snapped, glaring at the scientist.  
  
Bentley shrugged. “She’ll be fine.” Oddly, his heartrate had slowed, though it skipped a beat every few seconds. He was comfortable with this? Or was this what he wanted? After a moment, he wrinkled his nose. “Probably.”  
  
“Probably isn’t good enough.” Frowning, he turned his gaze back to Dezh and watched her closely. Her eyes fluttered closed and she let out a soft grunt. “Shit.” Pulling his hands through his hair, he let out a string of curses. The last thing he needed was to have to explain this to Rebecca. The bloody idiot could’ve just killed herself! Without thinking, he put a hand on the back of her neck. “Hey, Dezh, are you—”  
  
“Holy shit.” Grunting, she turned away and gripped both sides of the stool in front of her. The wooden seat cracked from the pressure, the sound echoing off the walls as the fissure in the wood spread from the center to the edge. He stared at it, then at her as her eyes popped open and she realized what she’d done. What the hell? She was strong for a human, but she wasn’t _that_ bloody strong! A feral grin spread on her lips. Her heart pounded so strongly and loudly that it sent vibrations through Mason’s body. “This is fucking awesome.” Her gaze went to Bentley and she tilted her head. “You have an arrhythmia?”  
  
Bentley’s jaw dropped, but as Mason stood there looking at Dezh, he realized his own jaw hung open as well. “You hear that?” Mason asked.  
  
She nodded, flashing him a grin. “Yeah. I hear your heartbeat, too. I hear three—no, four—different hearts beating outside the door.”  
  
“There are five,” Mason corrected, frowning. Could she really hear them? Or was she just playing a prank on him?  
  
Sniffing the air, she slinked toward him and licked her lips. “God, you smell good. I knew that before, but now it’s like…” When their bodies were nearly touching, she put her hands on his chest and inhaled deeply, her eyes fluttering closed for just a moment. “It’s overwhelming.”  
  
The scientist moved closer to her with a curious expression. “I need to take your vitals, Dezh. Do you feel okay?”  
  
“Bentley, okay doesn’t even _touch_ this.” She looked up at Mason with a smirk. “Hit me.”  
  
“What?” He glared down at her. “No.”  
  
Rolling her eyes, she let out an annoyed breath. “It increased my strength and enhanced my senses. I need to see how else it affects me before it wears off.”  
  
“She’s right,” Bentley agreed, rearing his fist back and taking a ridiculously wide swing at her. The moron clearly had no idea how to even punch someone properly. She effortlessly dodged, caught his wrist in her hand and twisted, then brought him to his knees. “Ow!”  
  
“That doesn’t prove anything,” Mason snapped. “You could kick _his_ ass even if you were hurt.”  
  
“Yeah. Hey, wait…” A smirk slowly came to her lips as she looked up at him. “I’m _not_ hurt. I mean, I’m not sore anymore at all.” She looked down at her left wrist, the one she’d sliced open the night before for him, and her eyes grew wide. He looked down at it and frowned. How had it healed already? “It’s gone. Which means…” Releasing Bentley, she moved—no, she _flashed_ —toward one of the lab stations in the back of the room and grabbed a small knife, then sliced her arm open with it. Was that how she got all those scars on the inside of her left arm? No, the scars were too jagged and weirdly shaped for that.  
  
Mason moved to her side, too focused on her actions to think about how the scent of her blood had changed. “What are you doing? Have you lost your bloody mind?”  
  
“I thought I’d heal faster,” she grumbled distantly, staring at the wound. “I figured since that stuff made me stop being sore, and that cut is gone, it’d…” Trailing off, she looked at her arm and then thrust it toward him. “Look! It’s working!”  
  
His gaze went to her arm. At first, he wasn’t certain what she was on about, but then he saw it. The wound very slowly began to close. It was nowhere nearly as fast as he’d heal, but it was visible. “What the hell?”  
  
“Yeah,” Dezh said with a laugh. Her gaze went to his as she chewed her bottom lip. For a moment, all he could picture was biting it for her, but she ruined the image by talking. He really liked her better when she wasn’t talking. “I feel really—different.”  
  
Bentley moved next to her, handing her a thick piece of gauze clean her arm. “You moved like a vampire can.”  
  
“She wasn’t _that_ fast,” Mason told the idiot.  
  
Dezh smirked at him. “Don’t be pissy. Help me test it.”  
  
“No.” His gaze went to Bentley. “Get this stuff out of her. Her heartrate’s too high, like she’s on adrenaline or something.” Huffing, he took her face in his hands and looked at her eyes. “Her eyes are dilated and her temperature’s up. And she smells different.”  
  
“Stop being a killjoy,” she purred, stepping closer to him and sliding her hands up to his chest. The look in her eyes would’ve turned ice to steam in an instant. “Of course I’m overheated. You make damn sure of that.”  
  
Mason’s skin tingled from her touch, and the strong waves of energy emanating from her. From her scent. There _was_ something different about it, like it was even sweeter than usual. More tempting, though he never would’ve believed it possible. So, when Bentley spoke, interrupting the moment, Mason nearly snarled at the man.  
  
“I can’t get it out of her,” the little twerp said with a shake of his head. “It’ll wear off after a while.”  
  
“A _while_? Shit.” The others would be able to tell the difference in her scent, so they couldn’t go back until it was out of her system. “What—”  
  
“Take my blood and test it with vampire blood,” she interrupted, looking to Bentley. “I want to see what it does. If it’ll make them even stronger than usual or hurt them.”  
  
“The easiest way to test that would be to give him some of your blood.”  
  
Dezh growled, her expression turning so fierce it made the scientist take a step backwards. “We aren’t giving him _anything_ until we’re absolutely, positively, a hundred and fifty percent certain it won’t harm him. Got it?”  
  
“Okay,” the guy said, bringing both hands up in the air. “Geez. It was just a suggestion. You usually let me test anything I want on you.”  
  
Again, Mason glared at the woman. Not that he cared, but if something happened to her, Rebecca would make heads roll.  
  
“On me. Not him.” She let out a long breath. “Test it first. If you’re sure it won’t hurt him, then we’ll try it.”  
  
Bentley nodded, jabbed a needle into Dezh’s arm and drew a vial of blood. “Give me a few minutes. It reacts pretty quickly with the synthesized solution, and it’s usually instant with your blood, so this shouldn’t take long.” With that, he moved to the other side of the room and got to work.  
  
Dezh stepped closer to Mason, catching him off guard with a rough shove backwards and making him bump into the door near the desk. When he growled warningly at her, she pressed against him. “With this in my system,” she purred with a predatory smile, sliding her hands up his chest and leaving a burning trail on his skin, “I could wreck you.”  
  
“You think so?” he asked, spinning them both around so she was the one pressed against the door. He drew in a deep breath. Damn, what the hell was in that stuff? She smelled like her, only even better. And so turned on, he could taste it in the air. “It doesn’t matter what you inject, sweetheart, I can still turn you into a quivering wreck in the time it takes to blink.”  
  
Instead of responding, she jerked his head down to hers and kissed him hard. Hungrily. That they weren’t alone didn’t seem to register with her, or maybe she just didn’t care. In truth, he really couldn’t have cared less right then, either, so he tangled his fingers in her hair and deepened the kiss. Her moan filled his mouth, vibrating in his throat. He felt the change as soon as it happened—whatever control she believed she had was gone now.  
  
Stroking her tongue with his, he forced her mouth open wider. She slipped her hands to his hips, trying to get him closer, but it was impossible. The only way he could get closer was if he stripped her completely and buried his dick in her. That thought was so appealing, he moved one hand behind her to the doorknob and gave it a twist. The door opened. Had it not been for the firm grip he had on the back of her head, she’d have tumbled into the room.  
  
Pulling his mouth from hers, he pushed her inside and smirked when she stumbled. His gaze surveyed the room. It was small, really, only a bit larger than a large walk-in closet, but was packed full of ceiling-high shelving that held various bottles and containers. A counter was to the left of the door, with a stool in front of it. In the right back corner sat a leather wingback chair between two narrow bookcases. His gaze went back to her to find her staring eagerly at him. “Is that stuff wearing off yet?”  
  
She shook her head, hooking a finger into a pocket of his jeans and pulling him to her. Before she could shift her hands, he grabbed her wrists, pinned them behind her, held them with one hand, and pressed against her to walk her farther into the room. Cocking an eyebrow, she tried, unsuccessfully, to wriggle free from his grasp. The drug had made her stronger—significantly so—but still not as strong as him.  
  
Wordlessly, he moved his foot to kick the door closed behind them and held her gaze with his. “I’m gonna fuck you so hard it’ll make you—”  
  
“I got the… um…”  
  
Growling, Mason released Dezh and turned to glare at the man who’d interrupted them. “What?”  
  
“The, uh, results.”  
  
Dezh slipped past Mason and stood in front of him. Smirking, he took a step toward her and pressed his hardened cock against her back. She let out a soft noise, but managed to choke out, “Well?”  
  
“Your blood normally makes all supernaturals stronger, even more so after Murphy… did what he did. With this in your system, those effects are completely off the scale.”  
  
Mason eyed the man over the top of the detective’s head. “You mean her blood with this stuff in it makes supernaturals even _stronger_ than her blood does normally?” The man nodded. “Shit.”  
  
Spinning toward him, Dezh tilted her head up to meet his gaze. “Bite me.” When he cocked an eyebrow at her, she rolled her eyes. “Don’t you want to see how much stronger it’ll make you compared to what it normally does?”  
  
“You know what’ll happen when I bite you,” he told her. “They’ll hear you screaming down the hall.”  
  
Dezh rolled her eyes again. “I screamed because you made me cum so hard I—”  
  
“Blacked out,” he finished, laughing at her angry glare.  
  
“I did not,” she growled.  
  
“Four times.”  
  
“Just bite me, dammit.”  
  
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Enough with the bossiness, sweetheart.” His gaze went to Bentley. “Go lock the door to your office so everyone doesn’t come barging in when she starts screaming.” The idiot didn’t argue and hurried away. As soon as the man’s back was turned, Mason picked Dezh up by the waist and set her on the stool by the counter. A soft chuckle escaped him when he stepped between her legs and she let out a soft moan. Yeah, she’d scream.  
  
“Are you gonna do this or what?”  
  
Instead of answering, he tangled his fingers through her hair, jerked her head to the side, and sucked hard on her neck. She squirmed on the stool, dropping her head back as a soft moan escaped her lips. He ran his tongue up the vein, growling softly when her hands slipped around his thighs to squeeze his ass. He pulled his mouth away from her neck for only a brief moment, then sank his fangs into the vein. A wave of pleasure shoot through her, and he heard her cry his name. Any further thoughts about her reaction disappeared when the first drop of blood touched his tongue and slid down his throat.  
  
The sweet taste was even better than it had been the night before, both when he’d awakened to find her forcing her blood into his mouth and when she’d practically begged him to bite her in bed, but the difference in what he felt was unbelievable. Last night, her blood had caused a surge of power within him. The first time, he’d been so weakened from the attack that her blood had only served to quickly heal him. The second time, when she’d blacked out, he’d been too worried he’d permanently damaged her to acknowledge the power pulsing through him. This, though, wasn’t just a surge of power. No, this was a bloody nuclear bomb in comparison. An explosion of pure, transcendent power blazed its way through him, filling every fiber of his being, and he gripped her harder. His already heightened senses crescendoed. Everything around him assaulted his senses—even a discussion from down the hall carried to his ears—but the thing that nearly overwhelmed him was _her_.   
  
Compared to everything else he sensed, she was like a raging fire on the darkest winter night, powerful and full of life. Full of so much _heat_ it astounded him she didn’t burn them both to ash. That she was drawn to him would have been obvious to even a blind person, and he’d sensed she wanted him the first night they’d patrolled, but now his senses were amplified to the point where her body _screamed_ to him.  
  
He had to force himself to stop drinking from her. He’d told her before that her blood didn’t make her enticing, and he’d meant it, but with this drug in her, one taste of her blood made him want more. And more. Pushing the thought aside, he licked and sucked the wound he left behind. In mere seconds, the puncture marks healed. For a moment, he merely looked down at her. She was wild-eyed, breathing heavily. There was no question what she wanted. And, at that moment, he had an out-of-control need to give it to her.  
  
Turning his head toward the door, he saw Bentley closing in on them. “Shove off,” Mason growled, slamming the door before the scientist could get too close. He pushed the slidebolt over so no one could enter the room, then turned his attention back to Dezh, who was already unbuttoning his jeans.  
  
“You need to wear skirts,” he told her in a low rumble, slipping a hand down her pants and pushing two fingers into her cunt just as she freed his rock-hard cock. She was dripping for him, and so hot it burned his fingers, just as he knew she would be.  
  
“I don’t—”  
  
“I’m sick of shit in my way.” Spinning her away from him, he jerked down her pants, bent her over the stool, and entered her in one quick motion. He barely heard her moan his name over his own guttural growl. Grasping her hips, he shifted her a bit then pulled back slightly and pushed his cock back into her. Deeper than before, so deep it made her body shudder with pleasure. Her pussy was so damned hot. Tight. Pulsing around his dick with every beat of her heart. As he dug his fingers into her hips, he realized it was taking every bit of his control to hold back—to keep from fucking her like a crazed animal—but that control was slipping. Quickly. Because of her blood. And that drug. And her. It was too much energy, too much pressure, all ready to burst from both of them.  
  
“Mason,” she growled, squeezing his cock hard with her cunt, “you said you’d fuck me so hard I’d—”  
  
He leaned over her, biting her shoulder to shut her up. “You want it hard, sweetheart?”  
  
“Yes,” she hissed.  
  
“Then you’d better hope that shit doesn’t wear off anytime soon,” he purred in her ear, shifting his hips and slamming into her, “because that’s exactly what you’re gonna get.”  
  



	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam, Felix, and Nate discuss the events of the night before and concerns about the team. When Mason and Dezh arrive, they discuss how to proceed. Not everyone is pleased...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you reading only for the porn, don't worry, it will return. The plot just needs to move a bit first. I'll mark the chapters that are mostly plot (like this one and the next two), in case you want to skip them. I also had an idea for chapter names and may start doing that to give little hints.

**_Chapter 8_**  
  
“What do you think she’s planning?”  
  
With an inward sigh, Felix set his phone on his lap and looked up at Adam, who had apparently finished the book he’d had his nose in for the last hour and a half. “I don’t know.” It was all too obvious his answer was found lacking. “Adam, even _she_ probably didn’t know what she was planning until half a second before she rushed out of here. You know how she is.”  
  
Adam let out an annoyed breath and crossed his arms over his chest. “All too well.” The man looked like he’d taken a sip of spoiled blood. “Talking sense to that woman is as futile as talking to a brick wall.”  
  
Clearing his throat, Felix tilted his head at the team leader. “Depends on what you talk to her about.” Adam’s expression turned sourer, if that was even possible. “You talked to her about Mason, didn’t you? On the way here? That’s why she looked so mad.”  
  
“Yes.” His lips pursed together. “She did not respond well at all. And I was perfectly understanding.”  
  
Felix chuckled. He’d seen how Adam and the detective related to each other. If they agreed on a matter, anyone in their way could either go along with them or be run over and dragged along, like it or not. If they disagreed, then it was a proverbial bloodbath. Adam had grown so accustomed to intimidating everyone into submitting to his will that he couldn’t fathom anyone might put up resistance. Then, along came Dezh. Attempting to force her to do anything only guaranteed a fight. Granted, if it had something to do with the team, she’d go along if everyone else sided with Adam. Unless it revolved around keeping her safe. Then, she pointedly ignored everything anyone said, strapped targets all over her body, and ran through the streets like an escaped mental patient.  
  
“It’s not funny, Felix,” Adam growled. “She’s part of the team now, and I value her contributions. What happened last night…” The vein in his forehead throbbed visibly as his jaw tightened. “I don’t want to lose the progress we’ve made with her simply because she misunderstands Mason’s intentions.”  
  
“Adam, I hope you didn’t put it quite that way,” Nate said, drawing Felix’s attention. He, too, had been reading ever since he returned with the files Rebecca put together for Dezh. “She doesn’t usually take well to being told what to do or think.”  
  
Usually doesn’t take well to it? That was like saying water was usually a bit damp. Picturing Dezh’s reaction to Adam’s lecture made Felix grimace. She had probably launched into a tirade. Or, possibly, glared coldly at him and fallen silent. Felix had been around her more than any of them, yet even _he_ still had trouble figuring out when she’d get mad or when she’d just go blank-faced and walk away. Or when she’d start laughing at something meant to be serious—that reaction was sometimes more disturbing than her anger. “So you busting on Mason didn’t deter her?”  
  
“Deter her?” Adam repeated with a huff. That he didn’t deny he had been critical of Mason’s behavior said a great deal. “If anything, it made her more determined to…” Trailing off, he grunted. “With the increased activity, we have to be solid. There’s no room for… entanglements.”  
  
“ _Entanglements_?” Felix sighed and shook his head. “They like each other, Adam.”  
  
“We’ve been through this, Felix,” Nate said softly. “Last night, in fact. We don’t want her to get hurt.”  
  
“Well, at least it’s done now.”  
  
Felix snorted and turned his gaze to Adam. “What’s done now?”  
  
Nate paced, rubbing the back of his neck. “I just hope your talk with her on the way here prepared her.”  
  
“So you two think this is just a”—Felix coughed, clearly fighting a grin—“one and done thing?”  
  
“Felix!”  
  
Though Adam looked as disgusted as Nate, he managed a nod. “You know Mason. Typically, once he”—he grunted—"achieves his goal, he moves on to the next goal.”  
  
With a chuckle, Felix opened his book and gave the other two vampires a knowing look. “If I were you two, I wouldn’t count on that.”  
  
“But—”  
  
“You do realize they’ve been gone for almost two hours?” Felix interrupted, before Nate could finish his thought.  
  
Adam’s eyes narrowed, as though this were news to him. Maybe it was, considering he’d been busy so flipping through his book that he had barely lifted his head for the last hour or so.  
  
Nate looked to the team leader and sighed. “Maybe we should go look for them. Whatever she had in mind shouldn’t take this long.”  
  
Felix laughed. “Then you apparently have no clue what she has in mind anytime she gets him alone.” When the two glared at him, he held up one hand. “I’m just saying it like it is. You need to lighten up. If you actually managed to find them, what’re you going to do? Forbid them to—”  
  
“Please don’t finish that sentence,” Nate interrupted.  
  
“They’re adults, Natey.”  
  
“They are also part of this team,” Adam said, his voice tight with anger. “And this is unacceptable behavior.”  
  
“What’s unacceptable behavior?”  
  
Felix turned his head at the sound of Dezh’s voice and, as she and Mason walked into the room, nearly choked on the smell of sex. From both of them. “See? They made it back,” he said with a chuckle.   
  
Mason moved across the room without a word but didn’t bother trying to hide his self-satisfied smirk. Throwing himself into a chair toward the back of the room, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. The smirk remained.  
  
“Where were you two for so long?” Adam demanded, his tone stern.  
  
“I told you I was going to the lab.”  
  
“You both were in the lab for two hours.” Somehow, the team leader made the statement sound like an accusation.  
  
A smiled played on her lips, and it grew wider when Mason coughed. “As a matter of fact, yes, we were.”  
  
Adam shot her a disbelieving glare. “Doing what?” Did he really want the answer to that question when he could smell it in the air?  
  
This time, it was Dezh who coughed, but Felix barked a laugh when he saw the shit-eating grin on Mason’s face.  
  
“Nadezhda.”  
  
The detective’s amusement disappeared in an instant. “You want a fucking second-by-second report?” she snapped. “I’ve heard enough lectures for one day, Adam.” Huffing, she looked around the room until her gaze settled on the envelope on the table in the center of the room. “Are those the files Rebecca got for me?”  
  
Nate cleared his throat, shaking his head to stop Adam when he opened his mouth to speak again. “Yes, Dezh, but we need to talk first.”  
  
The detective ignored Nate’s request and yanked the papers from the envelope. She obviously had no interest in anything but those files. After a few brief moments of looking through the package, she gave a nod, stuffed the papers back into the envelope, and headed for the door. “I’m heading back. I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow.”  
  
“Wait,” Adam growled, causing Dezh to turn back to face him. “What, exactly, do you plan to do?”  
  
“It doesn’t involve you guys or the Agency,” she said blandly. “Boring department business. I’ve got it covered.”  
  
“She’s patrolling alone tonight and plans to try to make herself smell like a vampire to draw the attackers out,” Mason answered, breathing out a cloud of smoke. When the detective spun around and glared at him, he shrugged. “I told you to tell them.”  
  
“And I told you that you guys can’t help,” she growled. “Between Rebecca and—”  
  
“You aren’t doing this alone,” Adam interrupted.  
  
“None of you can come with me. That stuff they hit Mason with won’t hurt me, but it will _kill_ you guys.”  
  
“Hold on,” Nate said, eyes widening, “you _let_ them test your blood with it?”  
  
She stared at Nate for a moment with narrowed eyes, as though she were fighting the urge to say something she might regret. When she spoke, her tone was only slightly patronizing. “Yes. Which is how I know it won’t hurt me.”  
  
Adam’s jaw tightened so much that Felix could hear his teeth grinding. He swung his gaze to Mason. “It won’t hurt her?”  
  
“I’m standing right here!” Dezh snapped. “Why the hell are you asking _him_?”  
  
Before meeting Adam’s gaze, Mason gave her a look Felix couldn’t quite decipher. “It won’t hurt her. I saw that for myself.”  
  
Adam turned back toward Dezh, frowning. “You still aren’t doing this alone.” When she opened her mouth to object, he forestalled her by raising one hand. “I… appreciate what you’re trying to do for us, but you cannot—”  
  
“Adam, I’ll be fine.” She sighed loudly. “I know you’re a control freak and all, but—”  
  
Mason barked a laugh. “What’s that saying about glass houses? I wouldn’t be tossing that stone, sweetheart.”  
  
Dezh glared daggers at him. “Oh, coming from you, that’s bloody rich. Sometimes, you make Adam seem less control freaky in comparison.”  
  
“Because that’s the only goddamned way to deal with you!” Mason growled. “You’re like a bloody—”  
  
“Okay,” Nate interrupted, standing up and moving toward the middle of the room with his hands out to both sides, “accusing each other of being controlling isn’t helpful.”  
  
Felix snorted. The whole lot of them were control freaks, though he wasn’t stupid enough to say so. Not right then, anyway.  
  
“Great, Mason,” Dezh said with a sigh and a roll of her eyes, “now you put Nate in mom mode.”  
  
A laugh nearly bubbled out of Felix’s chest at the comment, but he managed to hold it back. Until he saw Adam struggling to fight a smile. Then, he couldn’t help but laugh. Loudly. Even Mason looked amused.  
  
“Mom mode?” Nate repeated, shaking his head with a disappointed expression. “Someone has to keep the peace between all of you.”  
  
“Keep the peace?” Dezh raised an eyebrow at him. “You treat us like we’re children.”  
  
Nate cracked a smile. “Gee, I wonder why.”  
  
For a second, Dezh looked to be fighting a smile. Then, with a soft grunt, she leaned against the wall. “Look, I get what you’re saying, but you guys shouldn’t be out there right now. Not with this drug floating around and us not knowing who has it or how much they have, you know? I can’t…” She let out a troubled sigh, her shoulders slumping slightly. “Shit.”  
  
“Really?” Felix asked, flashing her a teasing grin. “That sounds uncomfortable.” A laugh bubbled out of her mouth before she could stop it. He turned his gaze to Nate. “Toilet humor always makes her laugh.”  
  
“Not always.” She turned her head to the side, cracking her neck, then looked at Adam. “I figure this is safe, yeah? If they shoot me with that drug, it…” Her gaze drifted to Mason, who stared at her with narrowed eyes. “It won’t hurt me. And if they do that, then they attacked a police officer, so I can get them off the street, we can figure out how they got that stuff, and they can’t hurt you guys again.”  
  
“You believe it will be that easy?” Adam asked, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.  
  
“Maybe.” After a slight pause, she wrinkled her nose. “No. But it’s worth a go.”  
  
The team leader shook his head. “And what if the people in those files aren’t responsible? What if it is one or more supernaturals, instead?”  
  
Dezh shrugged, but her gaze drifted to Mason yet again. The two of them locked eyes for several moments, but said nothing. What the hell had happened in the lab? Well, besides the obvious. Finally, she tore her gaze from Mason. “The drug still won’t hurt me.” When Adam opened his mouth, she stopped him. “Please don’t argue about this, Adam. You guys put your asses on the line for me with Murphy. Let me—”  
  
“And you put yours on the line for us when you charged him and stuck that syringe of DMB in him,” Nate interrupted. “That’s what being a part of a team means, Dezh. We watch each other’s backs.”  
  
She visibly struggled with that for a few moments before Adam broke the silence. “It also means telling us your plans. Your ideas, and thoughts. And not just running off to take care of everything on your own. We shouldn’t have had to hear your plans from Mason.”  
  
Felix expected her to snap at that, but instead she just rubbed her forehead with both hands. When she pulled them away, she looked to Adam. “You’re right. I’m sorry. But I’m not backing down on this. I’m the only one of us who can take getting hit with that drug. Sure, my plan might not work. And if doesn’t—if they don’t show up—I’ll go back out tomorrow night and do it again. And again. Until we get these bastards.”  
  
“You want to patrol alone until we catch whoever did this?” the team leader asked with a frown. When she nodded, he sighed. There was no way Adam would agree to that. “We can set up somewhere around the square. You figure out where. And you’ll wear a wire.”  
  
Felix’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head.  
  
“I have the radio and—”  
  
“And you wouldn’t use it even if you got attacked by an army of spider-shaped demons,” Mason growled, running a hand through his dark locks. His gaze shot to Adam. “You can’t be serious about going along with this.”  
  
A collective silence fell over the room as they all awaited Adam’s answer. They didn’t have to wait long. “I am,” he responded with a nod. His light green gaze turned to Dezh. “Agree to wear the wire, and find us somewhere to set up to monitor, and, _for now_ , we will go with your plan.”  
  
Dezh drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “All right. Can one of you…” She trailed off when Mason leapt out of the chair and stormed out of the room. Shaking her head, she looked back to Adam. “Can one of you give me something to wear so I smell like a vampire? One of the hunter groups the Agency monitors apparently developed some kind of device that detects pheromones and—”  
  
“What?” Adam asked, getting to his feet. “What sort of device?”  
  
Felix looked to Nate, whose expression twisted with concern. Obviously, this was new information for them.  
  
“I don’t know, exactly,” she said with a frown. “He just said—”  
  
“He who? Who told you about it?”  
  
Dezh’s gaze went to Nate. “Bentley.”  
  
Felix coughed. “The new kid in the lab?” When Dezh nodded, he scoffed. “He looks like he’s about ten years old!”  
  
“I’d say fifteen, but sure.” She shrugged. “He’s really brilliant, though. Graduated college at nineteen, with dual degrees in biology and chemistry. Got his masters’ in both in two years, and is already working on his doctorate.  Anyway, he said Unit Tango found it. It’s just a prototype, but he seemed to think there are more of them out there.”  
  
Adam huffed and rolled his eyes. He had little respect for Unit Tango, if any. Mason, however, disliked them immensely—two members in particular. The team leader’s gaze went to Felix. “Bentley is new?”  
  
Nodding, Felix glanced at Dezh. How had she gotten to know the kid that quickly? Shaking off the thought, he turned his attention back to Adam. “He started working in the lab about a week after we met Dezh. Rumor has it he’s related to one of the higher ups at another facility, and that’s how he got his own office already.”  
  
“He has an office in the lab?”  
  
“He has his own _lab_ ,” Dezh answered Nate with a snort. “With a fully stocked storage room.” For some reason, she seemed to be fighting a smile at the last comment.  
  
Adam’s gaze narrowed. “Dezh, let’s go.”  
  
“Go where?”  
  
“To the lab. I want to speak with Bentley.”  
  
Wrinkling her nose, the detective shook her head. “I’ll go ask him about it, if you want, and then—”  
  
“No,” Adam interrupted, starting for the door. “I want to talk to him myself.”  
  
Dezh blew a long breath through her pursed lips. “Shit,” she muttered under her breath.  
  
Felix watched as she disappeared through the doorway with Adam. She behaved as though she were being led to her own execution. That she was hiding something was all too obvious, something she feared Bentley may share with Adam. But what? She had to know they smelled Mason all over her, so that couldn’t be the issue. What else could it be? And why wasn’t she hobbling around anymore?  
  
“I’m going to see if I can find Mason,” Nate said, drawing Felix from his thoughts. “He needs to be there tonight with the rest of us, whether or not he likes the idea.”  
  
“Why do you think Adam agreed to it?” Felix tilted his head, eyeing the older vampire curiously. “I mean, I usually don’t see a problem with the detective’s ideas, but this one…” Unfortunately, he couldn’t think of _any_ way to finish that sentence.  
  
“I’m sure he has his reasons,” Nate answered with a slight shrug. “She was right about one thing, though—wherever it came from, that drug nearly killed Mason, and could kill the rest of us. We need to be careful.”  
  
Felix nodded and watched Nate’s back as he left the room. Being cautious seemed like a solid plan—seeing Mason so close to death last night had shaken Felix badly—but any plan that put Dezh at the forefront was bound to take one look at caution and run the other way.  
  
Letting out a soft sigh, he relaxed in the chair and picked up his phone. Well, whatever was going on, at least tonight wouldn’t be boring.  
  



	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Dezh patrols, the guys listen from a nearby spot. Information is shared and Dezh runs into someone she prefers not to see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, The Wayhaven Chronicles and all it entails belongs to Sera. I'm just playing in her sandbox because it's so much fun, and because UB is so freaking awesome. 
> 
> A reminder that this is AU (in case you forgot), and canon only through book 1. It's still romance-focused (with a bunch of smut!), but the path will be radically different than the canon story. There will be approximately 65 chapters, which will be divided into three parts. There will also be a follow-up story with 10 chapters, which is already written. And to think this started out as a one-shot smutfic... Hope you enjoy!

**_Chapter 9_**  
  
“This is so freaking boring.”   
  
Felix flicked the button on his mic and laughed at Dezh’s irritated tone. “Would you rather be attacked?”  
  
“That _is_ why I’m out here,” she responded with a loud sigh. “Bastards could at least be courteous enough to show up, you know? Instead of wasting my damned time.”  
  
Adam groaned. “Sometimes, I think that woman isn’t satisfied unless someone is trying to kill her.”   
  
Mason barked a laugh, drawing all eyes to him. His smirk said more than words could have, so it hardly mattered that he ignored everyone and blew out a big cloud of smoke. The small, windowless room in the back of Haley’s Bakery was filled with smoke, not that the broody vampire cared.   
  
“Maybe Mason can tell us how else to, uh, satisfy her,” Felix prompted with a grin, ignoring Mason’s glare. “She seemed—”  
  
“Maybe Adam’s coat doesn’t smell vampirey enough,” Dezh said over the wire, ruining Felix’s fun. “Do Echo vampires smell stronger or something? I could probably wear Felix’s clothes. And I’d look less ridiculous than in this humongous coat.”   
  
Shaking his head, Mason sighed and hit the button on his mic. “His pants would be way too long on you, not to mention too tight through the hips, and if you wore his shirts, you’d permanently stretch them out in the chest.”   
  
Dezh grunted.   
  
“And my smell is plenty strong.” Adam glared at Felix when he laughed at that.   
  
“Don’t be pissy, Adam. I just meant maybe my… scent or whatever isn’t drowned out by your coat. Maybe you could throw pheromones on it before you let me wear it?”  
  
“ _Throw_ pheromones?” Adam repeated, shaking his head and affecting a tone one would use to speak to a child. “You don’t throw pheromones, Nadezhda.”  
  
“Well, whatever you do with them!” Dezh snapped. “I don’t know. You people never tell me anything and get annoyed when I ask.”  
  
“We only get annoyed when you keep asking if things are real or not, then argue about it when we give you an answer you don’t like.”   
  
Ignoring Adam’s input, she continued, “I have to learn everything from Bentley, and any of the weirdos in the lab who decide to give me the time of day, and sometimes I don’t think they know what the hell they’re talking about. Plus, they go off on tangents, so it takes forever to get an actual answer from them.”    
  
Nate chuckled. “You can ask me, Dezh. I’ll answer whatever questions you have.”  
  
“I answer them, too,” Felix said, glaring at the mic, despite the fact she couldn’t see it.   
  
“You’re not reliable, Felix. You told me all I had to do to become a vampire was drink a little bit of vampire blood. I did and it didn’t work!”  
  
Adam slammed the button on his mic. “You did _what_?”   
  
“You remember that?” Felix grimaced when Adam and Nate glared at him. “You were drunk!”  
  
“I was buzzed,” Dezh corrected. How many times had he heard that from her? “I told you I don’t get drunk easily.”   
  
“Why would you do that, Dezh?” Nate asked quietly. “Try to become a vampire?”  
  
She snorted. “Let’s see, super strength, super speed, super hearing, super stamina, and I only have to sleep every few days? Why the hell _wouldn’t_ I want to be a vampire?”  
  
“There are disadvantages to being a vampire, too,” Adam said seriously. “You need to learn more before you make a decision like that.”   
  
“Pfft. Whatever the negatives are can’t outweigh the positives. I mean, it’s not like you have to drink rat’s blood or something.”  
  
Felix shuddered at the thought. “Rat’s blood? Why would we drink rat’s blood?”  
  
“They do it in movies and TV all the time. Rat’s blood, pig’s blood… I don’t even want to think about the other kinds. I mean, biting a rat would be gross. With super-healing, it’s not like you can’t get the plague or anything, but it’s still a rat.”   
  
“The plague?” Did they even have that anymore? Felix looked over at Mason, who merely rolled his eyes.   
  
“So yeah,” she continued with a sniff, “I’d totally do it. To have that feeling of being more powerful and having all that energy going through you _all_ the bloody time…”  
  
Mason snickered and hit his mic, drawing Felix’s attention and making him wonder if he was missing something. “Whose blood did you drink?”  
  
“Felix’s. He, uh, wanted me to show him something and he kinda got a little cut.”   
  
“You threw a knife at me!”  
  
“You told me to! And then you moved because you were too chicken to stand still!” She snorted disdainfully. “If you hadn’t moved, it wouldn’t have nicked you.”  
  
Felix scoffed. “You were drunk. I was afraid you’d hit me.”   
  
“Do you not listen?” She affected that tone she sometimes used that made Felix want to smack her. “I was buzzed. And I know how to throw a bloody knife!”  
  
Grunting, Felix scowled. Even sober, he wasn’t sure he trusted the woman to throw knives near him. Though, he had seen her do it before and she was really good. And, he supposed he _had_ asked her to do it. It had seemed like a good idea, at the time. At least, until he was standing there facing her with a knife in her hand!  
  
Adam rubbed his temples. “From now on, when the two of you are scheduled to patrol together, one of us is going with you.”   
  
“It wasn’t on patrol, Adam,” she said condescendingly. “It was after.”  
  
“Is that supposed to be better?”  
  
Surprisingly, she didn’t get angry. That was new. Instead, she asked, in an amused tone, “You gonna come to the bar afterwards, too? We can teach you how to play quarters.”   
  
Felix chuckled. “I’d rather teach him to play Never Have I Ever.”  
  
“Ugh. That’d be terrible. He’d never drink unless we picked boring shit, like never have I ever sat up twelve hours straight doing paperwork.” She made a dramatic gagging noise that made Felix laugh. “Better to play Truth or Dare with him. He’d never back down from a dare.”   
  
Mason snorted. “And you would? You can’t resist any dare for half a second.”   
  
“A bet isn’t a dare, Mason,” she growled. “Not exactly, anyway.”   
  
Felix glanced over at Mason, noting his smug smile. There was clearly a story there, though Felix knew he’d never get it out of the other vampire. He’d just have to take Dezh out drinking in the next few days. After she got a few drinks in her, she talked a lot more, and didn’t avoid questions so much. Plus, she was just plain damned hilarious when she drank.   
  
“How much longer are you doing this, anyway?” Mason grumbled. “No one’s showing up. And I’m sick of sitting here.”   
  
Dezh sighed again. A loud popping noise came over the mic, probably from her cracking her neck. She did that a lot. “I’ll make one more pass around the square, then I’ll quit. You guys can head out, if you want, since—”  
  
“We’re staying until you leave, Nadezhda,” Adam interrupted.   
  
Surprisingly, she simply sighed and didn’t try to argue with him. For a time, she remained silent, but when she finally spoke again, her question made both Adam and Nate groan. “So how _do_ you become a vampire?”  
  
With a chuckle, Felix hit the mic, fully intending to tell the truth this time, but Adam stopped him with a glare and a shake of his head. “Let’s save that talk for another day. You need to learn more first.”  
  
Dezh sighed loudly, and Felix knew without doubt she had rolled her eyes. “Sometimes, you’re a real wet blanket, you know that?”  
  
“Yes, you’ve told me on numerous occasions,” Adam said dryly. “The most recent was three days ago when I told you we’d trained long enough for the day.”  
  
“I wasn’t tired.” Felix nearly chuckled at her tone—she sounded like a petulant child. “I’m not as fragile as you think I am, you know. And have way more stamina than you give me credit for.”  
  
A snort of amusement came from Mason in an explosive burst, drawing not only Felix’s attention but Adam and Nate’s as well. Though he didn’t bother acknowledging them, he did a poor job of hiding his amusement.   
  
“Just talk about something else, Dezh,” Adam said with a sigh, shooting Mason a glare. “If you must.”   
  
“Okay,” she said much too pleasantly for Felix to buy it. “What do you think of Kayley, Adam?”  
  
Adam groaned loudly, rubbing his head with his left hand and punching the button on his mic with his right hand. “Next topic.”   
  
“She likes you.”   
  
“Kayley from accounting?” Nate asked, only to receive a dirty look from Adam. Shrugging, he punched his mic and asked the question again.   
  
“The very same,” Dezh answered. “She thinks Adam is the cutest thing ever. Let’s see, when I went to get my check the other day, I got…” She cleared her throat before speaking again in a higher-pitched, overly-excited voice, “’Oh my _God_! Those eyes! I could just drown in them!’ And then she babbled about your, uh, qualities, for a good five minutes.” After a slight pause, she added, “Your ass was mentioned, by the way.”   
  
Felix held his stomach to keep from laughing hysterically.  
  
“Nadezhda,” Adam said with a sigh, “don’t—”  
  
“Is that vein popping out on his temple?” she interrupted.   
  
“Yep,” Felix answered with a chuckle. “It’s pulsing.”   
  
Dezh snorted. “You should ask her out, Adam. She’d be perfectly happy with a little fun, if that’s all you want. Release some… tension. It’d be good for you. And she’s really hot, even you have to see that.”  
  
“Dezh,” Adam said warningly.  
  
“I mean, come on! Have you ever really looked at her? If I was a guy, I’d totally do her.”  
  
Mason’s hand hit the mic so fast it seemed like a blur to Felix’s eyes. “What was that, sweetheart?”  
  
“ _If_ I was a guy, Mason,” she said dryly. “But I’m not.”   
  
“That’s for damn sure,” Mason muttered, but not quietly enough for Felix to miss it.   
  
“All right,” Adam said, shaking his head, “I think it is time to stop for the night.”   
  
Dezh chuckled. “Patrolling? Or me harassing you?”  
  
Felix watched as the team leader’s lips curled upwards ever so slightly. “Yes,” was all he said.   
  
“All right, you big spoilsport,” she said, “I’ll head to… oh, goddammit.” Her pleasant tone faded into pure annoyance in the time it took to blink. Her voice dropped to a mere whisper. “Just what I fucking need right now.”  
  
Felix exchanged looks with the others, but it was Adam who hit the comm first. “What’s—”  
  
“Hello, angel,” a male voice said over Dezh’s wire.   
  
“I’ve told you not to call me that, Bobby,” she growled. Oh, so _this_ was Bobby? Felix wished he was outside so he could see the jerk. “What do you want?”  
  
“Well, I swung by the station to see you and the night volunteer said—”  
  
“If you bugged my office again,” Dezh interrupted, “I swear I will make you wish your grandparents had never laid eyes on each other.”  
  
Bobby merely laughed. “I came to see if you had any interesting news, or a reason for patrolling so often since the incident with that murderer, but now…”   
  
“Back off.”  
  
“Who the hell is this guy?” Mason snarled.   
  
Felix looked over and found himself fighting a grin at Mason’s reaction. “Dezh’s ex from college. She hates him with an undying passion.”   
  
“Aw, come on, angel,” Bobby purred over the speaker, “how do you expect me to not want to see what’s under that coat. It doesn’t fit very well, but it reminds me of that time you showed up in—”  
  
“Put that fucking hand on me and I’ll break it.” The fury in Dezh’s voice was barely contained. If Bobby was smart, he’d back off. From what Felix had heard of the man, however, he was too arrogant to be smart.   
  
“And if you do, I’ll press charges for assault and battery. You really want to lose that cushy position you just got?” Silence reigned for a few brief seconds. “Besides, you used to like when I touched you.”   
  
A low growl came over the comm. “Get. Away. From me.”   
  
Mason got to his feet, drawing Felix’s gaze. He looked tense. Angry. Well, angrier than usual. As he started for the door, Bobby’s voice stopped him, causing him to turn back.   
  
“Where are your bodyguards? They let you out alone?”   
  
Felix grimaced and glanced back at the speaker. If Dezh managed not to deck this guy, Felix would buy her a drink. Or five.  
  
“They aren’t bodyguards, dipshit. They’re… _we_ are a team. And friends.” Her declaration brought a grin to Felix’s lips. “But they had something else to do tonight.”  
  
Bobby cleared his throat, then spoke in a low murmur, “If you need protection, I could—”  
  
Before he could finish his sentence, Dezh burst into laughter. Mocking, but genuine, laughter. “You could _what_ , Bobby? Hide behind me while I do all the fighting? Or rather, hide under a table in a corner. That’s where you were the time we went to that bar in the city and a fight broke out, isn’t it? While I fought thugs, you hid, then screamed like a girl when one of them got to you and pulled you out of your little hidey hole. Or did you forget that part? And the fact that I took a knife to the gut protecting your sorry ass?”  
  
That was new information. And Felix wanted to hear the whole story.   
  
“Go home, Bobby,” Dezh continued when her questions were met with silence. “If you’re scared, I can call the station and get someone to drive your prissy little ass home.”   
  
“There’s the Dezh everyone knows and hates,” Bobby snapped. “Reminds me why I dumped you in the first place.”   
  
“And that was the nicest fucking thing you ever did for me, too,” Dezh said dryly. “So, do you want that escort or do you think you can manage to get home without shitting your pants at things that go bump in the night?”   
  
“Bitch.”   
  
“Aw, I made you lose your fake charm,” she taunted, her tone sarcastic. “Better watch it, Bobby, your true nature’s showing.”   
  
“No, Dezh,” Bobby said, sounding a bit more controlled than before, “you just bring out the worst in everyone. You always have. It’s why you have no friends. And haven’t had a date since I left you.” He paused for a breath and his tone grew more suggestive. Smoother. And much creepier. “But don’t worry, angel, I’m willing to forgive and forget if you ask nicely. For old time’s sake.”   
  
“Ugh. You’re welcome to hold your breath waiting on that but honestly, I’d rather fuck a rabid honey badger.”  
  
Felix barked a laugh at that the same time as Mason, but Nate just sighed loudly.   
  
“We’ll see about that. See you around, Dezh.”   
  
After a few moments of silence, Dezh growled softly but spoke in an emotionless tone, “I hope he falls through a sewer grate and breaks his goddamned neck.”   
  
Mason moved back to the mic and hit the button. “You took a knife to the gut for that asshole?”   
  
“Yep. If I had left him to defend himself, he probably would’ve been killed.”   
  
“You made the wrong choice.”   
  
“Agreed.” She sighed. “I’m near my car. I’m gonna head home. I’ll hang onto the wire and earpiece—and your coat, Adam—since we’re doing this again tomorrow night. Sorry about the shitshow.”    
  
Felix frowned, glancing over at Mason, whose expression was unreadable. “Hey Dezh, you want to do movies tonight? We could—”  
  
“Not tonight, Felix. You guys need to stick together. Just in case.”  
  
Turning his gaze to Mason, Felix asked, “You going to her place tonight?”  
  
“Why the hell would I?” Mason snapped.   
  
“Yeah, I guess you already got what you wanted out of her.” The comment got the desired result. Ignoring Mason’s death glare, Felix hit the mic again. “C’mon, Dezh. You can either agree now or I’ll show up later.”  
  
“Felix, I just—”  
  
“You know you won’t turn me away,” he interrupted, his tone light. That she was in a mood was all too apparent. Her jerk of an ex had all but guaranteed that much. “Just make it easy and say yes now.”   
  
For a few moments, the only response he received was staticky silence. When he heard her let out a loud sigh, he knew he’d won. “Fine. Hurry up, then. Meet me at my car.” A slight pause. “Nate?”  
  
Nate chuckled and hit the mic. “I know. And I will.”   
  
Felix glanced at Mason, who looked confused. That was hardly surprising. He was the only one of them who had no clue what she wanted from Nate.  
  
“Don’t stay up all night,” Adam said, sounding vaguely annoyed. “Training tomorrow at 14:00, remember?”  
  
“When do I ever forget training, Adam? I’m taking off this fucking wire now.”  
  
All four of them flinched at the loud noises that came over the comm as she did as she’d said. Felix wasted no time heading for the door. “See you guys tomorrow.”   
  
“The detective needs sleep, Felix,” Nate said, his tone reprimanding. “Don’t—”  
  
“She barely sleeps, anyway,” he interrupted. “And she’s in a bad mood now, so it’ll be worse. She’ll eventually pass out watching movies. It’s fine!”   
  
Before anyone could stop him, he hurried out the door and slammed it closed behind him. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A week has passed, with Dezh patrolling every night while the Unit Bravo listened in from a nearby location. When the team visits Dezh at the station, intending to discuss that night's patrol, what they find both alarms and surprises them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No smut or romance progression in this one, just plot building (don't worry, smut is on its way!). A tiny spoiler for those who, like me, are spoiler whores--what happens now is strongly tied to the main plot. Dun dun dunnnnn!

**_Chapter 10_**  
  
“Why did we all have to come here?”  
  
Sighing, Adam glanced at Mason as they headed down the sidewalk toward the police station. Mason’s complaining was nothing new—they had, long ago, grown accustomed to it—but, over the last week, it had become nearly insufferable. From the beginning, the foul-tempered vampire had been against the detective patrolling alone, with them merely monitoring, and his mood grew worse with each passing day. “Because I said so,” he finally responded.  
  
“You know no matter what you say, she’ll probably just go patrol alone, right?” Felix asked with a snort. “Or she’ll want to come with us to the city to help us find this woman we have to hunt.”  
  
Adam sighed. The young vampire was not wrong—Dezh tended to do as she pleased, no matter what anyone told her. That was one reason he’d insisted on the entire team accompanying him. She became more agreeable if all four of them stood against her. Sometimes. He nearly groaned at the thought. Perhaps, not quite that frequently. It had happened a couple of times, at least. Even on her best days, the woman could be unreasonably stubborn. “There’s no point in her joining us. We don’t even have a physical description of a target, so identifying her won’t be easy.” That was the epitome of an understatement. The assignment was odd, as far as Adam was concerned. The Agency did not often hunt random supernaturals for questioning. And they typically didn’t send out so many teams at once just to find their target. They hadn’t even done that for Murphy.  
  
“Which makes the whole thing pointless,” Mason growled, tossing his cigarette onto the ground and stomping it with far more force than necessary. He kicked the remains, sending them flying into the flowerbed at the corner of the building. “At least we don’t have to sit in that bloody room for hours on end again, listening to her complain about how bored she is that no one’s attacking her.”  
  
The corners of Adam’s lips inched up a bit. It _had_ been quiet since the detective had started patrolling alone, a fact that irritated her to no end.  
  
“How much longer are we doing that, anyway?” Felix asked. “I’m ready for things to go back to normal.”  
  
“We’ll see,” Adam said quietly, as they passed two humans who had just left the station. “Depending on how tonight goes, we may be forced to postpone patrols for a few days, anyway.” He walked into the station first, his gaze sweeping the area after he’d removed his sunglasses. Officer Poname and Dr. Verda were huddled together outside the detective’s office, talking quietly.  
  
“…stubborn woman refused to let me treat her wounds,” the doctor said with an annoyed shake of his head. “And she’s still bleeding. Wrapping a dirty paper towel around a wound is unsanitary!”  
  
Certainly, the man was not speaking of the detective. Adam moved closer to the pair, not bothering to look back to see if the rest of the team followed.  
  
The officer snorted. “You know how she is, Verda, especially when she’s had no sleep and has been training. Or whatever she’s calling it this week.”  
  
“Is Detective Volkov injured?” Adam asked when he reached them, looking from the officer to the doctor and back again. As soon as the question left his lips, he realized the answer. The faint scent of blood tickled his nose. It was hers.  
  
“She is,” Verda huffed. “She came limping in less than an hour ago, and she’s a bloody mess.”  
  
Adam felt his teeth grind together. Could the woman not stay out of trouble for half a day? “Do you know what happened?”  
  
The two humans exchanged a look, but it was Officer Poname who answered. “She claims she got hurt training. But I’ve seen her spar—she may get a bruise here or there, but she never looks like _that_.” She pointed toward the door, then dropped her voice. “This isn’t the first time it’s happened, though. At least once every couple of months she shows up looking like this.”  
  
“She isn’t typically _this_ bad, even when she does.” Verda cleared his throat. “She needs medical attention. Or at least clean bandages.”  
  
“We’ll see to it.” Adam opened the door and walked into the detective’s office without warning, leaving it open for the rest of the team to follow. One look at the her was all it took to confirm what Officer Poname and Dr. Verda had said. Her left eye was swollen almost completely closed, and above the eyebrow was a long cut, only partially hidden by the fringe of bangs hanging down to her eyes. A nasty-looking bruise marred the entirety of her right cheek, though she had haphazardly attempted to hide it with makeup. Her bottom lip was puffy and split. Finally, his gaze went to her right hand and the somewhat bloodied paper towel wrapped around her knuckles. His jaw tight, he moved farther into her office.  
  
“Doesn’t anyone in this goddamned place know how to knock?” she growled.  
  
“You look like shit,” Mason responded, shaking his head and moving past Adam. “What happened?”  
  
She grunted and leaned back in her chair as Felix closed the door. “I got in a… scuffle.”  
  
Mason snorted. “I’d hate to see what the winner looks like.”  
  
“Where?” Adam demanded, ignoring Mason’s comment and the obscene hand gesture Dezh made in response. “With whom? Were you attacked? When we left you last night, you were fine! And that was after midnight!”  
  
“I wasn’t attacked. It was”—she let out a long breath and her features twisted into the all-too-familiar expression she affected when she attempted to avoid directly answering a question—“basically… kinda… training. Practice. Yeah, practice.”  
  
Adam rubbed his forehead. “What the hell does that mean? How did—”  
  
“I’m fine, Adam,” she interrupted. “Don’t worry about it.”  
  
“We’re supposed to keep you safe!” he thundered. “If someone attacked you—”  
  
“You’re supposed to keep the _town_ safe!” She shot him a one-eyed glare, and visibly grimaced when she did it. “I can take care of myself!”  
  
Adam crossed his arms over his chest. “If you believe the state you’re in is proof of that, you’re sadly mistaken. Who did this to you?”  
  
Her eyes—well, her right eye—narrowed. “Don’t start that shit again with me, Adam. You know damn well I can—”  
  
“Fight? Yes, I am well aware of your abilities. I’m also aware you don’t have enough sense to—”  
  
Nate put a hand on Adam’s arm to stop his words and shook his head slightly. When he spoke, his tone was gentle, as always. “Dezh, you can’t see how you look. We’re just concerned about what happened to you and want to make sure you aren’t in further—”  
  
“Enough of this shit,” Mason growled. “Tell us what the hell happened.”  
  
Dezh scowled at Mason, but when he growled and took a step toward her, she rolled her right eye and growled back, “I went to a fight club after you guys left last night, all right? For fuck’s sake, it’s not that big of a deal.”  
  
“You mean a fight club like in the movie you made me watch?” Felix asked, his eyes widening. When Dezh nodded, he grinned. “That is _so_ cool! Can I go watch next time you do it?”  
  
“Maybe, but you have to—”  
  
“No, it is _not_ cool.” Adam glared at the young vampire before turning his gaze back to Dezh. Was she insane? “People have been killed doing that sort of thing.”  
  
Running a hand over her forehead, Dezh sighed. “That hardly ever happens.”  
  
“But it _does_ happen.”  
  
“Has anyone at your club ever died during a match?”  
  
Dezh turned her gaze to Felix, rolling her lips together lightly before answering in a clipped tone, “Nope.”  
  
While Adam knew she wasn’t lying—he’d gotten to know her well enough to realize she’d never tell them an outright lie—she was obviously hiding something. Several possibilities crossed his mind, none of which were comforting. Rubbing his forehead, he grunted. Unit Bravo was supposed to keep her safe, in addition to helping her protect the town, but she certainly didn’t make it easy. “Why would you do this? Why _did_ you do this?”  
  
Dezh sighed. “I go when I need to blow off some steam. I’ve been doing it since high school.”  
  
“High school?” Adam repeated, his features twisting in shock. When he spoke, he didn’t _intend_ to yell. “How? How did you ever get mixed up in something like this!”  
  
Shrugging, she let out another annoyed breath. “Master Shioda, my sensei, took me to another dojo in the city one weekend. The sensei there, Derik…” She smiled, for some reason. “He’s only an inch or two taller than Felix, but back then, he was built like a freaking tank. I sparred with him. He didn’t hold back as much as Master Shioda did. I took it and kept going.” That much didn’t surprise Adam—the woman never knew when to stop. “He was impressed. Before we left, he took me aside and asked if I was interested in fighting for real, no holds barred."  
  
“Of course, you said yes.”  
  
Her gaze went to Mason when he spoke and one corner of her mouth curved upward into a lopsided smile. “Duh. The very next weekend, I went there with him.” She shrugged. “Been going ever since.”  
  
Adam sighed. How many other children had that idiot gotten involved in this fight club? “Did your sensei know about it?”  
  
She shook her head. “He’d have had a fit if he knew Derik took me there, but I think he figured it out after a while. After I started going to the club, I showed up at the dojo beat to hell a couple of times. The club honed my skills, though, and he noticed. Derik worked with me, too, when I’d go into the city. Taught me some other… methods.”  
  
“Did Rebecca—”  
  
“If you finish that question, Adam,” she interrupted, her tone going ice cold, “I’ll make you regret it.” Letting out a short breath, she continued, “That woman knows nothing about me or my life. Never has and never will.”  
  
Nate cleared his throat, and when Adam looked at him, he realized his friend had to fight the urge to talk to the detective about her mother. It really bothered him that they didn’t get along—it bothered all of them, really. They were beginning to understand the reasons behind their poor relationship, though.  
  
“Anyway,” she said, her tone normal again, “I’ve been doing this forever. I just haven’t gotten the shit kicked out of me this bad in a long time.”  
  
“Who’d you fight?” Felix perched on the edge of her desk, looking down at her with a teasing grin.  “The Incredible Hulk?”  
  
“No.” Her expression turned sour. “She was this tall, bony bitch. Wiry as hell, but not real fast. I had two fights before she challenged me. Won both of them pretty quickly and only took a few hits, but then she came in and—well, she ended up kicking my ass.” She cracked her neck and winced slightly. “I almost wondered if she was a supernatural or something. It hurt when she hit me, but it hurt more when _I_ hit _her_. And every time I landed a hit on her, her eyes…”  
  
“What about her eyes?” Mason asked, drawing her gaze to him.  
  
“It looked like they turned black.” She shrugged. “I thought I was imagining it, but I’m sure it happened every time I hit her or she hit me. No whites, no pupils. Just all black.” Adam looked to Mason, his mouth tightening. “She didn’t fight anyone else, though, so I don’t…” Trailing off, she sighed. “Why are you guys looking at each other like that?”  
  
“Let me see your hand.” Mason moved closer, not waiting for her to agree before snatching the paper towel from her right hand. Adam took a step toward her as well. Her knuckles were covered in cuts—hardly surprising after three fights—but there were tiny shards of something embedded in her skin, glittering in the light. “Shit.”  
  
Exchanging a look with Mason, Adam barely suppressed a groan. Though this had the makings of a coincidence, he’d never been one to believe in such things. It made sense, he supposed. Her blood drew all kinds.   
  
“Déjà vu,” she told him dryly. “What’s going on?”  
  
“When you hit her,” Nate said quietly, “you said her eyes changed. Did anything else about her change? Anything visible? How did it feel when you hit her? You said it hurt more to hit her than when she hit you?”  
  
“I didn’t notice anything else. Visibly, I mean.” She let out a long breath. “But hitting her was like hitting jagged rocks. Every time I landed a punch, it busted the hell out of my knuckles. So, after a few punches, I changed tactics.” Her gaze went to Mason. “Are you gonna tell me what the hell it is you think I was fighting?”  
  
“A stone golem.” As soon as she opened her mouth, Mason shook his head and growled, “If you ask if it’s real after I just told you, I swear I’ll make you regret it.”  
  
“She’s a shapeshifter,” Adam explained, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips at the way Dezh pouted over Mason’s threat. And the fact that Mason’s threat to her mirrored her earlier threat. “Stone golem is just one of her forms. She can mimic other creatures, though we aren’t certain how many. We already knew of the stone golem form, human form—which she can apparently change in a variety of ways—and cat form.”  
  
“Well,” Dezh said dryly, “I think I can kick a cat’s ass, so I’m cool with that one.”  
  
Felix snorted, but Adam gave them both an exasperated look. “Given your description, and how her eyes changed when she shifted, she might be a witch, or sorceress. The Agency has been hunting her for a while.” Before she could do more than open her mouth, he added, “We don’t know the reason. We actually stopped by to tell you we can’t patrol tonight. Our unit, and several others, have been ordered to go into the city to track her tonight. The Agency received word she was there, and don’t want her to slip away this time.”  
  
“Well, shit,” Dezh muttered, touching the cut on her forehead. “I should’ve known she was a supernatural. When she hit me and gave me this cut, she…”  
  
“She what?”  
  
Dezh looked up at Mason and curled her lip up in disgust. “Licked my blood off of her fist. After that, she wiped the floor with me. I didn’t make the connection at the time. I mean, people have done crap like that before, so I figured she was just a weirdo.”  She snorted. “One time, this guy came in and tried to lick his opponent’s wounds. That was dude was so fucked up, Frank tossed him out and wouldn’t let him come back a second time.” Frank? Was he the one who ran this fight club? “I can help you catch her.”  
  
Adam shook his head. “No. Tell me where this club is and—”  
  
“No. You don’t go near the club without me. End of discussion."  
  
“Did you get any information about her at all?” Nate asked. “Can you tell us what she looks like? We have virtually nothing on her.”  
  
“I can do better than that. Before I took off this morning, she tried to get me to leave with her and some dude she had waiting outside. When I said no, she asked if I’d be back tonight. I told her the place is shut down 'til Friday and that we can fight again then. I usually don’t go more than once a month”—she wrinkled her nose—“but I don’t like losing.”  
  
“Yet another thing you and our esteemed leader have in common,” Felix quipped.  
  
Adam shot a glare at the young vampire, then looked back at the detective. “Then we’ll just go Friday night when she’s there. You need to stay away from that place.”  
  
“Give it up, Adam. She won’t show unless _I’m_ there. She told me her—associates, that’s the word she used—will let her know if I’m there Friday night. If I am, she’ll come.” Her lips twisted into a smirk. “Glare all you like, but that’s the way it is. If you want her without the hassle of hunting through the city looking for a needle in a haystack, then you have to do this my way.”  
  
Adam ground his teeth together to keep from yelling at the woman. “You cannot fight in this condition. Your injuries won’t heal in two days.”  
  
Rolling her eyes, Dezh snorted. “I’ve fought in worse shape than this. It looks bad, but it’s just bruises and some cuts.”  
  
“Then how did she win?” Mason asked, pinning her with a glare. “I’ve seen you fight when we’ve run into trouble. There’s no way you gave up just because she punched you in the face a couple of times.”  
  
Adam watched as Dezh’s expression tightened, her unswollen eye flashing like green fire. She hated being called out, and Mason excelled at doing it. He also got away with it without her threatening violence as much as she typically did.  
  
Finally, the detective let out a controlled breath and admitted, “She knocked me out. Only for a minute or two. And the injuries you can’t see are still just bruises.” Under her breath, she added, “Mostly.”  
  
“You need to see a doctor, Dezh,” Nate said softly, looking to Adam with a worried frown. “You probably have a concussion.”  
  
“I don’t have a bloody concussion. You can look at my eyes and see they aren’t dilated, and I’m not dizzy or puking. It’s fine.” Her gaze went back to Adam. “This is the only way you’re guaranteed to catch her.”  
  
“You _do_ realize she wants your blood?” Mason said, pulling his fingers through his hair. “That’s why she wants to fight you again. And get you away from the place.”  
  
“Well, it’s apparently the only _enticing_ thing about me,” she snarked, “so it’s not exactly a surprise.” She rolled her eyes when Mason growled at her. The motion caused her to wince and put a hand over her left eye. “Look, I’m going back to the club on Friday night, no matter what you do, and she’ll be there. Unless you can catch her before that. My guess is you can’t, and you’ll have wasted Agency resources for two nights in a row. With me, you have perfectly good bait. If you’re smart, you’ll use it.”  
  
Adam rubbed his forehead, considering what she said. The woman was giving him a headache, though that was nothing new. That she was likely right vexed him. “All right. I’ll call Rebecca and fill her in, so they can call off the hunt tonight.” That conversation would be unpleasant, to say the least. “We’ll do this your way.”  
  
Annoyance coursed through him when she flashed him a triumphant smirk that quickly faded. “I want your word the Agency won’t interfere in the club. The cops in the city leave Frank alone, but if the Agency sticks its nose in, it could cause problems.”  
  
Adam’s jaw clenched. “Nadezhda—”  
  
“Don’t,” she interrupted. “I’ve been to other fight clubs, and none of them were run like Frank’s place. It’s a tight-knit group and the only way in is through a regular.” And that meant the shifter had someone inside the club. Adam wondered if she realized that fact. “Troublemakers are thrown out and don’t get to come back. He looks out for all of us, believe it or not. So, either give me your word or I’ll go alone on Friday and try to catch her myself.”  
  
From anyone else, Adam would’ve believed that to be an empty threat. Sighing, he nodded. “You have my word.”  
  
“Thank you.” She turned her gaze to Mason. “I don’t think you should go. They blast music during the fights, so it’s really loud there, and even from my rooms, you’d hear—”  
  
“Your _rooms_?” Felix asked.  
  
She shrugged. “The place is an old apartment building. Frank gutted most of it, but left the basement apartments intact, as well as a couple on the top floor for him and the others that work there. Fighters who’ve been around for a long time get private basement apartments—to rest between, or after, fights. Or to have guests.”  
  
Felix wrinkled his nose. “Why would guests sit in there instead of where the fights are?”  
  
“Spectators are too much of a distraction, so they aren’t allowed in the fight room. You step foot in the fight room, you don’t leave until you’ve been in at least one fight. There are a couple of common rooms on the second floor where guests can watch, but it smells like shit up there and is usually crowded.” She looked back to Adam again. “The fights stream to a channel on the TVs in the common rooms and apartments, so you can watch from my apartment. It’s even smaller than my place, but it should be comfortable enough for you guys for a few hours.”  
  
“I’m going.”  
  
She looked over at Mason and sighed. “It’s gonna bother you, though. With your—”  
  
“I said I’m going.”  
  
Adam fought a smile when she looked to him for support. “He said he’s going, Nadezhda. What time does the club open?”  
  
She glared at him and drummed her fingers on her desk, as though she expected him to change his mind. After a few moments, she huffed and shrugged. “The fights start around 22:00, sometimes later. But I can get us in whenever. I’ve got a key to get into the basement entrance in the back of the building, and the alarm code. Since this shifter has eyes on the place, it might be better to get there early, before they start watching. She may not risk going into the club if she sees you guys go in with me. I can just go back out and in a couple of times to be seen.”  
  
“Agreed.” Adam eyed her for a moment, then let out a breath. “You’ll need to wear a wire, but only a one-way, this time.” Thankfully, she didn’t argue. “You need to take the next two days to recover as much as possible. We can handle patrols and—”  
  
“No.” She set her lips in a stern line, but her hands trembled slightly before she clasped them together. “You guys can’t. Not yet. I can do it.”  
  
Rubbing the back of his neck, Adam sighed softly and looked to Nate. Then, to both Felix and Mason. They all saw what he did, heard her heart pounding in her chest before she held her breath and it slowed to a brief stop. When she finally drew breath again, it was a shallow gulp of air she held. Controlling her own heartbeat so they couldn’t use it to determine her state of mind. He’d never seen her do that before. Had she practiced it? “Nadezhda,” he said as gently as he could manage, “it’s been a week. And you’re in no condition for patrolling.”  
  
She drew in a shaky breath, her eyes filling with a desperation that grew stronger as they darted to each member of the team. She visibly struggled for words. It was odd to see her in such a state. Did she fear for their safety that much? He knew she’d grown accustomed to them—and they to her—but had she really become that _attached_ to them already?  
  
“I know you think I’m being—that me patrolling alone is unnecessary, but…” She let out a soft sigh. “It worries me more that they _haven’t_ been back yet, because that means when they hit Mason with that”—her jaw tightened—“shit, they probably weren’t sure it would work. That’s how R &D works. Who knows how many times they tried before they finally got a formula that did what they wanted. Just like that prototype supernatural sensor Bentley told you about.”  
  
It didn’t surprise Adam that she’d given the matter a great deal of thought. Or that she took the lack of activity in Wayhaven as a problem, rather than a blessing. Her reasoning made sense. No, what bothered him was her relationship with Bentley. Or, rather, what those two were hiding. It had been all too apparent when he’d gone to the lab with Dezh that she was up to something. Bentley’s odd behavior had only cemented his suspicion. Did she know more than she had shared with them? He quickly dismissed the thought. If she knew something to help the team, she’d share it, just as she’d share any information about potential dangers. “You believe the attack on Mason was a test,” he finally said.  
  
She nodded. “Bentley believes so, too. And now they know the stuff works, and that Wayhaven has supernaturals.” Swallowing hard, she shook her head. “My guess is they’re making more of that stuff. Once they have enough, they could come back with a fucking army.”  
  
“And if they do, what’s your plan?” Mason sneered, flicking his lighter open and closed. “Fight them all yourself while we hide in a bakery?”  
  
Adam half expected her to claim she could handle an army on her own but, instead, she scowled. “I don’t know. I didn’t plan that far ahead.”  
  
“Shocker,” Mason said with a disdainful snort, laughing when she glared at him.  
  
“Hello pot, this is—”  
  
“Why don’t we all go?” Nate interrupted quietly. “We can stay together and watch each other’s backs.”  
  
Adam glanced at Nate and nearly groaned as a protest formed on the detective’s lips. He didn’t particularly like the idea, but she would probably agree to it if they presented a united front. Before she could argue, he said, “Agreed. We’ll all go.”  
  
Her gaze went to Mason and Felix, who both nodded in agreement. She let out a breath, and her shoulders slumped, but she didn’t argue. “Fine.”  
  
“After patrols tonight and tomorrow night,” Adam said, tilting his head a bit to catch her gaze, “I can show you the weak points for the golem form she assumes. Actual stone golems are a solid piece of stone, with no weak points. Shifters… they can’t quite duplicate that. If you follow my instructions, you have a good chance of taking her down.”  
  
When she looked up at him, her expression was far less defeated. In fact, a small smile formed on her lips. Promising to teach her ways to maim or kill enemies always made her smile. She was an exemplary student, in that way.  
  
“I wouldn’t look so happy about it, were I you.” If anything, his comment only served to make her smile more. “Training in the shape you’re in won’t be fun.” An understatement, at best, he knew, but it had to be done.  
  
Nate glared at him disapprovingly, then shook his head and turned to the detective. “If you’re patrolling with us tonight, then training, you need to have your wounds treated.”  
  
“I’m fine, Nate,” she said, rolling her eyes.  
  
“Please, Dezh,” he implored softly. “If you won’t let Verda do it, will you at least let _me_ do it?”  
  
Her mouth twisted to one side and she stuck her tongue on the other side, behind her bottom lip. Adam knew Nate had won—every time someone guilted her into something that pissed her off, she made that face. Then, she rolled her eyes and sighed. Even Nate seemed to be fighting a smile at that. “Fine,” she grumbled.  
  
“We’ll wait outside,” Adam said, gesturing for Felix and Mason to follow him. Mason followed him out without a word, while Felix blathered at the detective a few moments before hurrying out as well.  
  



	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team wastes time in Dezh’s rooms at the fight club. She gets a surprise visitor and the guys learn something new about her. When she goes to change for the fight, and forgets her wire, Mason helps her in the way only Mason can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a long one, mainly because there was no good place to split it. And, believe me, I tried. The next couple should be shorter, once I get them ready!

**_Chapter 11_**  
  
Playing with his lighter, Mason glanced at the door for the fifth time in as many minutes. He rolled his eyes, and silently cursed when his gaze drifted to the door yet again. Well, how could he avoid looking that direction when he had a seat facing the bloody door?  
  
“Worried about our detective?” Felix asked, nudging him.  
  
Mason glared at the younger vampire and snorted. “No. Why would I be?” Sure, she’d been gone for over half an hour now, when all she was supposed to do was go outside to see if the shapeshifter had people watching the place but, knowing her, she’d probably wandered off somewhere. Or ended up in a fight. The damned woman could find trouble in a church full of nuns.  
  
“She _has_ been gone a while,” Nate said, his face twisting with concern.  
  
“I win again,” Adam declared when Felix tossed his cards on the table. The man acted like he’d won the lottery, instead of a small pile of nickels. Oddly, he didn’t seem concerned about the detective, when, usually, all he did was complain about her recklessness and inability to stay out of danger.  
  
“At least sitting in here for hours is better than that damned bakery.” The bakery reeked of baked goods and flour. Dezh’s place in this ‘club’ just smelled like _her_. Strongly. He flipped his lighter open and closed again, pondering a cigarette then deciding against it.  
  
“Uh huh.” Felix flashed him an accusatory grin. “The way she described this place, I expected it to be a closet, but it’s not that bad.”  
  
Shrugging, Mason glanced at the door again. Felix wasn’t wrong. The little apartment was pretty nice, even if it was only three rooms. A small kitchen area, which included the table where they sat—along with the two archways to either side, each of which had pocket doors—divided the living room and bedroom. The living room was big enough for all of them to find a comfortable place to sit and still have room, and had a big-screen television. The bedroom was only a bit smaller than the one at her apartment, with a small walk-in closet and a door leading to a small bathroom on the far end. Like Dezh’s place, it was darkly decorated and full of heavy wooden furniture. His gaze went to the bed, which was through the archway and easy to see from his seat, even with one of the pocket doors pulled out most of the way. It wasn’t as big as the king-sized bed in her apartment, but it was big enough.  
  
“Like her bed?”  
  
Mason swiveled his head to glare at Felix, but then smirked. “If you mean would I like to try it out with her—”  
  
“Mason, please stop,” Nate interrupted with a sigh, shaking his head.  
  
Rolling his eyes, Mason took a gulp of his beer. It was good beer, something Dezh said she’d filled the fridge with the day before. She’d gotten the beer for him, red wine for Adam, some kind of whiskey for Nate, and fruity-smelling fizzy crap for Felix. She’d even gotten snacks for Felix to try, and some weird pastries for Nate.  
  
“Frank seemed nice enough,” Felix said idly.  
  
Nate nodded, but Mason grunted noncommittally. When they’d gotten to the building, Frank—the guy who ran the place and looked old enough to be Dezh’s father—had greeted them in the hallway and voiced his surprise that she’d invited guests. For the first time ever. Mason didn’t think much of the guy, since he was human, but, when Adam had asked, at least he’d agreed to keep their presence to himself.  
  
“Whose deal is it?” Adam asked, drumming his fingers on the table. They’d been playing poker for hours, pretty much since they’d gotten there and settled in. The team leader was obsessed. Probably because Dezh had managed to win a couple of hands before she’d headed outside.  
  
Mason ignored the question and inhaled deeply when a sweet fragrance tickled his nose and the sound of an all-too familiar heartbeat carried to his ears. _Finally_.  
  
“Dezh’s,” Felix answered, “but she’s…” He trailed off when the door suddenly flung open. “Speak of the devil and she appears.”  
  
“Now I’m the devil?” Dezh asked dryly, kicking the door closed behind her and dropping a duffle bag on the floor. “Awesome. I just need horns. And a red tail.”  
  
“Can’t help with the horns, but I can give you a red tail,” Mason said with a smirk, his brow lifting when her eyes widened, her cheeks suddenly pinkened, and her heartbeat quickened. She rolled her eyes at him, but her tongue swept over her lips once before she sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. A cocky grin settled on his lips—it wasn’t often he found something that made her blush, so when he did, he made a point of doing it again.   
  
For once, Nate let the comment pass without a reprimand and, instead, asked, “What took you so long? Did you run into trouble?”  
  
Her composure returned in an instant. Moving to the table, she flopped into the only unoccupied chair, between Mason and Adam. “No, but I think I found the shifter’s friends. When I walked out, I headed down the street for my car and saw two guys outside, one on each corner of the building. One of them was average-sized, kinda dweeby-looking. He was wearing a suit with a bow-tie and thick glasses. Stands with his hands behind his back. The other one looks like a walking ad for steroids. Tall as Nate, but hulky. He’s the one who tailed me. Did a shit job of it, too.”  
  
“Is that the only reason you think they’re her contacts?” Adam asked.  
  
“Well, he followed me to the parking garage, watched me like a hawk, then followed me back. I led him on a merry chase, just for the hell of it. Around the corner, up the street, and back. The other dude was still there, watching the door to this place. So I came back into the building, went out the back and looped around. They were talking to each other, but pretending not to be.” She snorted. “Standing near each other, facing opposite directions. I couldn’t get close enough to hear them. The dweeby one made a call, then they both headed down the street.”  
  
Adam shook his head. “Did you see where?”  
  
“Yep, because I tailed them.”  
  
“You did _what_?”  
  
Mason snorted at Adam. “You’re surprised?”  
  
Dezh flashed a proud grin at him, as though she thought his question to Adam was meant as approval. When he rolled his eyes at her, she grunted and continued, “They went into a snooty-looking apartment building about three blocks north of here. The Plaza Trace. Terrace. No… shit. Piazza Trace, that’s it. Ridiculously tall building, lots of security. Two big ass guards outside the door, with a keypad lock and some kind of scanner to get in, unless you can get the two thugs to let you in. Couldn’t see inside because all the windows are mirrored.”  
  
“What about—”  
  
“I walked around the building to scope out other entrances. There’s a side entrance in the alleyway on the west side of the building, with the same security as the front. Only other way in is the underground parking garage, but it’s locked down as tightly as the rest of the place. There’s a scanner at the entrance and four cameras monitoring the entry and exit doors, both of which are solid steel.” She shrugged. “That’s all I’ve got.”  
  
Adam eyed her for a moment, then smiled slightly. “Good work, detective. But you shouldn’t have followed them.”  
  
Rolling her eyes, Dezh huffed. “What time is it?”  
  
“Almost nine,” Nate answered. “You said the fights start around ten?”  
  
She nodded and got to her feet. “I may as well change. Then I’ll have a while to chill out and warm up before everything gets started.”  
  
“I’ll call the Agency to see if we can get a team to the apartment before the shifter leaves,” Adam said. “If you need help warming up—”  
  
 “I can warm you up,” Mason said with a smirk.  
  
When she looked at him, she licked her lips. “Promises, promises. I doubt—” A knock at the door silenced her mid-sentence. Frowning, she looked to the door and yelled, “Hang on!”  
  
“It’s best if no one else knows we’re here,” Adam whispered.  
  
“Whatever.” Dezh shrugged and motioned for them to go into her bedroom. Adam strode through the archway, with Nate and Felix on his tail, but Mason glared at their backs before following with a huff. The four of them ducked around the inside of the archway, but she pulled the pocket doors mostly closed before walking away to open the door. Mason sighed. This was ridiculous. Why the hell did they have to hide?  
  
A deep voice broke the silence. “Hi, Nadezhda.”  
  
There was a brief silence before Dezh let out an annoyed breath and spoke. “Liam. It’s been a while.”  
  
“One year, nine months, and thirteen days,” he responded, “but who’s counting?” Mason sneered—what an asshole.  
  
“What’re you doing here?” Her tone held all the warmth of an iceberg, something the idiot at her door had to recognize.  
  
“I heard you were here the other night,” Liam told her. “And got word you’d be back tonight.”  
  
Mason glanced at Adam, who gnashed his teeth at that bit of information. Was it possible the two goons outside were watching her because of this guy?  
  
“What?” Dezh snapped. Mason could feel the heat of her fury from where he stood. “Who the hell told you that? Do you have someone watching the place?”  
  
“No, why would I…” The man trailed off, sighing. “I asked Johnny to let me know when you’d be here. This is the first time since anyone’s known you were coming ahead of time. May I come in?”  
  
“No. You shouldn’t be here.”  
  
“I’ve been trying to catch you here ever since…” The man sighed loudly, his heartrate quickening.  
  
“Look, Liam, I’m sorry about your arm, but I didn’t want to fight you last time. I don’t now, either. So if you came here for revenge…”  
  
“Is that what you think? A fight’s a fight, even if we already knew each other.” He laughed, the noise so faint even Mason barely heard it. “Even if it did take two surgeries and a bunch of pins in my arm to put it back together again.”  
  
“Liam—”  
  
“It took me two years to track you down the first time,” the man continued. Two _years_? “I thought if we fought, we could talk and—”  
  
“You should’ve left it alone,” she interrupted, her tone firm. “This place isn’t for people like you.”  
  
“People like me?” The guy chuckled. “What does that mean?”  
  
“Too civilized. _Nice_.” She sighed, her tone growing distant, as though she were lost in her own thoughts. “Everyone, whether they realize it or not, has a wild beast in them, a primitive thing that craves violence. That needs to push and be pushed. To dominate and be dominated.” Mason’s eyes widened at her choice of words. “But most people keep it caged. Hidden away from anyone who might notice. Or maybe it’s just too weak to get out.”  
  
“Nadezhda—”  
  
“But those of us who come here regularly—we _can’t_ keep it caged for long. It has to get out. I warned you not to challenge me that night. When I’m in the cage, that beast has free reign. And I can’t stop it.” A soft laugh escaped her lips. “I don’t wanna stop it.”  
  
Felix chuckled and looked at Mason. “Have you met her beast?”  
  
Nate glared at the young vampire, but Mason didn’t bother hiding his smirk.  
  
“—first time we met in that masterclass?” he was asking. “You held back when we sparred. I saw it in your eyes, your movements. You did the same thing in that cage with me, just like you did back then.” She made a noise, as if about to speak, but Liam continued, “My arm was my fault, not yours. I fought the throw and paid the price. But if you want to make it up to me…”  
  
Mason rolled his eyes at the man’s gently suggestive tone. Did he really think that shit would work on Dezh?  
  
“Not gonna happen,” she told him with a sigh. “Go home to your wife and don’t come back here. It’s too damned dangerous.”  
  
Adam sighed and whispered, “She is _such_ a hypocrite.”  
  
When Mason heard her close the door and lock it, he opened the bedroom doors enough to pass through. Dezh leaned against the door, looking annoyed.  
  
 “An ex you forgot to tell me about?” Felix jibed.  
  
Dezh sneered. “No, just someone I met at a weekend thing in college, who tracked me down, insisted on fighting me, and got his arm broken for the trouble. I don’t know why the fuck he came back here again.” Was she serious? How the hell could she not know the guy just wanted to get into her pants? “I gotta get changed.”  
  
Mason watched as she grabbed the bag she’d left near the entrance and headed into her bedroom, pulling the pocket doors almost entirely closed again.  
  
Adam wasted no time moving into the living room and calling the Agency. To try to get the shapeshifter before she showed up to fight Dezh. Chances were, it wouldn’t work. Even if a team could get inside that apartment building in the next hour, the shifter would likely be gone.  
  
“She forgot the wire,” Nate said absently, gesturing toward the center of the table where they’d been playing cards.  
  
“I’ll give it to her.”  
  
Nate nodded, then headed into the living room and sank into a chair with his back to the kitchen.  
  
“I’m sure you will,” Felix said with a chuckle, smacking him on the arm before joining Nate and Adam into the living room. With a wink, he closed the pocket doors completely.  
  
Shrugging, Mason took the wire off the table and pushed one of the bedroom doors open enough to enter. And stopped in his tracks.  
  
His tongue swept over his lips at the sight of her, completely bare, bent at the waist as she slowly pulled up a pair of black shorts that wrapped around her hips like a second skin. She adjusted them slightly, oblivious to his presence. The shorts stopped just below the lower curve of her ass, the dark material providing stark contrast to her creamy skin. Her red hair hung down to her shoulder blades in loose waves, longer than it had been when they’d first met her. Mason licked his lips again and felt his cock twitch in his jeans.  
  
Stepping inside, he closed the doors quietly behind him. Only when he flicked the latch to lock them did it catch her attention.  
  
“Goddammit!” she snapped, spinning halfway toward him with her small hands futilely trying to cover her ample tits. “Don’t you ever knock?”  
  
“If I knocked, I’d miss this,” he purred, moving toward her and smiling when her heart started pounding like a jackhammer in her chest. Any thoughts she’d had of ordering him to get out were gone now. “You actually fight in this getup?”  
  
“I wear a top,” she said dryly, “but yeah.” A small smirk played on her lips. “Like it?”  
  
“I’d rather have you naked.” Intense heat burst from her, causing his skin to tingle. “You know, sweetheart, if you wanna get naked and let your— _beast_ —out of its cage, I can think of better ways than brawling with idiots at this club. Ways that are a lot more fun.”  
  
Rolling her lips together, she regarded him with a narrowed gaze. Had he not noticed her dilated pupils and spike in pheromones, he might have believed she was as unruffled as she tried to act. “Is that an offer or just a general statement?” she asked quietly.  
  
For a few brief seconds, he merely eyed her. She didn’t flinch—she never did—nor did she look away. Then, he closed the distance between them with a single step, leaving a hair’s breadth of space between them. And, just like that, she inhaled sharply and looked at him with nothing but raw desire. It was the first time he’d seen that in her eyes since a little over a week ago, when they’d gone at it in the lab. The thought caused images to flash though his mind—of her bent over a stool while he fucked her so hard they broke the damned thing after a short time, of her on her knees sucking his cock, swallowing him whole and licking him clean before he pushed her against the wall and fucked her again.  
  
This was the first time he’d been alone with her since then, and his jeans felt much too confining. The hunger in her eyes tempted him, despite the fact the rest of the team was only a couple of rooms away. He rolled his head lazily to the side, holding her forest green gaze with his own. “You really don’t know an offer when you hear one?”  
  
She rolled her eyes and practically growled, “If I knew, I wouldn’t have fucking asked, so if you—” Before she could finish her thought, he hauled her to him and kissed her hard. His tongue in her mouth, battling with hers, provided a better answer than any words he could’ve offered. And had the bonus prize of shutting her up. She whined a soft objection when he pulled his mouth from hers to look down at her. Her hands still did a poor job covering her tits—especially with her breath coming in rapid spurts—and her right nipple peeked out from between her fingers, hard enough to cut glass.  
  
“Move your hands.”  
  
Despite the quick flash of defiance in her eyes, he heard her breath catch in her throat and felt the way his command caused electric sparks to dance between them. Her hands dropped after a split second, moving to his waist.  
  
As soon as her hands moved, his replaced them. The wire he’d been holding dropped to the wood floor with a feeble clink. “I need to put that on you,” he told her, pushing her back against the dresser.  
  
She drew in a sharp breath and arched her back, inviting his touch. A whimper started in her throat when he rolled her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers and squeezed, but she gripped his ass and jerked him closer. Pushing his leg between hers, he nearly groaned when she started grinding slowly against his thigh. Her pussy was so fucking hot and wet, already soaking her shorts and burning his skin though his jeans. He felt her pulse against his leg, so fast and hard it sent vibrations through him. Somehow, she managed to choke out in a hoarse whisper, “It’s on the floor.”  
  
“Fuck it,” he growled, tangling one hand in her thick red locks and jerking her head back so he could kiss her again. His aggressiveness made her temperature skyrocket, made her struggle to get closer to him. He slid the other hand down the back of her shorts, digging his fingers into the flesh of her ass and drawing a pleasured moan from her. Two small hands snuck under the hem of his shirt in response, dancing over his warmed skin and leaving a trail of tingling fire in their wake. He nearly shivered from just how damned good it felt, at the way his hardened cock threatened to split his jeans open. He wanted to fuck her, right then and there.  
  
Finally tearing his mouth from hers, he kissed, sucked, and bit his way down her neck to her shoulder. Nails raked down his back, the slight pain of it enjoyable as hell thanks to the way the scent of her lust overwhelmed him. Tugging her hair to make her turn her head, he sucked hard on the other side of her neck, marking her. With a quiet moan, she slipped her hands into his waistband to grip his ass, grinding her hot cunt harder against his leg. Her juices coated his jeans, leaving an ever-expanding wet spot behind. He let out a soft chuckle at her eagerness, licking from her shoulder to her ear before sucking the same spot on her neck again. She tasted incredible, a perfect mixture of spice and sweetness.  
  
“Mason, I need you inside of me,” she pleaded in a throaty voice, her fingers nimbly undoing his jeans and freeing his throbbing dick. She gripped it with one hand and stroked slowly but firmly, her thumb and forefinger teasing just below the head as she moved the other hand lower to cup and massage his tight, aching balls.  
  
Whatever self-control he had was quickly vanishing. He moved his mouth to her ear, pressing her even tighter between him and the dresser. Shifting her against him, he slid a finger between the swollen lips of her pussy from behind and barely held back a moan at how wet and ready she already was for him. At the way her muscles seized his finger, drawing it further into her. _Fuck_. His heart thudded forcefully in his chest, nearly matching hers. “You’re gonna have to be quiet, sweetheart,” he whispered, dragging his teeth over her earlobe. Even as he said the words, some part of him wanted to make her scream his name at the top of her lungs, just as she’d done when he’d fucked her at her apartment. And the lab. “No screaming, no loud moaning. And we gotta be fast.”  
  
“Mason, I’m about two good rubs away from squirting all over you,” she whispered back shakily, “so fast isn’t an issue.”  
  
A cocky grin spread on his face, but he pushed away from her. “Shorts off,” he ordered quietly, shoving his jeans down past his hips and watching as she pushed her shorts over her hips. They slid down her thighs, and she started to move, but he’d waited long enough. Gripping her by the waist, he lifted her. The shorts fell away as he perched her ass on the edge of the dresser. It was the perfect height, and sturdy as hell.  
  
Her legs snaked around his waist, heels digging into his ass to pull him to her. Reaching between them, she gripped his cock to help guide it, but as soon as the head popped into her, all it took was one quick thrust to get what he wanted. What she wanted, too, given the pleasured noise it elicited from her. For just a few moments, he didn’t move, simply enjoying feel of her cunt wrapped around his dick like a hot silken glove, lightly squeezing again and again. Soaking him in her juices. _Goddamn, that feels good._  
  
“Think I could get you off just doing this?” she purred, licking the hollow of his neck as she clamped down hard on his cock.  
  
_Yes_. “We can test that another time,” he growled, closing his eyes when she started sucking on his neck. Her tongue traced a trail to the spot just below his ear that made him shiver, then she sucked again. Hard enough to make him moan. His cock jerked inside of her. “Lift your legs, and straighten them.”  
  
She lifted her head to look at him but did as he said, inhaling sharply when he hooked his arms under her knees and pushed them up farther. As she straightened them, he pushed against her and trapped her legs between their shoulders. It left her entire body in a perfect ‘v’ and drilled his dick deeper into her. So deep she bit down on her lip in a failed effort to hold back a satisfied moan. “Oh, God, Mason.” Her cunt spasmed once around him as a tiny droplet of blood trickled down her lip. He caught the droplet with his tongue, feeling an instant surge of power and pulling back just a bit before slamming into her again. He knew he’d hit the spot he’d been aiming for—a guttural scream formed in her throat just as his mouth covered hers. She shuddered against him, her pussy spasming violently around his cock.  
  
He slid his hands over the silky skin of her legs and back down to her ass, pulling her forward more so she was just barely touching the dresser. Their tongues warred as he rammed in and out of her at an agonizingly slow pace. Every time he drew his hips back, her cunt gripped his cock, tugging him back into her. Every time he slammed back into her, her body gripped him tightly. The sensations were intoxicating, intensified by the way her inner muscles tremored sporadically as she rode the waves of her release and built toward another. Cream trickled down his dick, coating his balls. Sliding down his thighs, tickling his skin like a soft caress.  
  
Continuing his deliberate pace, he felt torn between the desire to prolong the pleasure as long as possible and the need to fuck her faster so he could get some damned relief. Breath quickening, he dug his fingers mercilessly into the flesh of her ass. The pain of it drew his name from her lips, and made her pussy spasm hard when she writhed against him. Another thrust brought another wave of spams inside of her, and he remained still for a few moments, enjoying the feel of her cunt trying to milk his cock. Blood rushed from his head much too quickly. “Goddammit, Dezh.” He heard his own voice, deep and gravelly against her lips, but sounding distant. In answer, she kissed him again, sucking his tongue into her mouth the same way her body sucked his dick.  
  
Unable to deny his own need any longer, he pumped into her faster. It didn’t take long before she let out another cry of pleasure that faded in his mouth. The sound drew a growl from him and his body started moving of its own volition, driving his dick into her forcefully. Fucking her frenziedly. The heavy wooden dresser bounced against the wall behind it, but he was past worrying about noise. His balls tightened to the point of bursting as her fingers teased them, putting pressure in just the right places. He growled into her mouth as he neared release, barely registering that she growled right back at him.  
  
His entire body tensed a split second before his dick erupted inside of her, jerking forcefully as he filled her with his seed. As her sweet pussy spasmed hard and milked every last drop from him. Time slowed to a crawl as their convulsions eased. He finally ended their kiss, but kept his mouth against hers, enjoying the heat of her breath. Tension he hadn’t realized he’d had faded, and he felt the same from her. It still wasn’t enough, though. He wanted more, wanted to fuck her again. But that would have to wait.  
  
Slowly, he released her legs, a small smirk forming on his lips when she hooked them around his waist to keep him from moving away. He didn’t have to ask—he knew she wanted more. If only she didn’t have to go fight that damned shifter, he’d have obliged and fucked her again. And again. After running the rest of the team out of the place. His dick twitched inside of her, already beginning to grow hard again. _Shit_. Gripping her by the waist, he lifted her off of him and set her on the floor. Why the hell had he not gone back to her place again? Fucking her felt too damned good not to go back for more.  
  
Clearing her throat, she dropped her gaze to his chest and chewed her bottom lip. All it took was one look at her to realize any desire she’d had to fight at this stupid club was gone, replaced by a desire to have some more fun with him. Not good, considering what she had to do. She needed to be pissed off, ready to kick some ass. It was the only way she could manage to beat the damned shapeshifter. If she fought like this, she’d get her ass kicked. And Nate and Adam would blame _him_ for it.  
  
When she started to reach for her shorts, Mason grabbed her arm and shoved her against the dresser again. Fire flashed in her eyes, and that fire raged when he pushed her arms behind her and encircled her wrists with one of his hands.  
  
He pressed against her, letting his now fully erect dick press into her stomach. “I bet I can do something that’ll make you kick that shapeshifter’s ass so quick, it’ll make her head spin. And beat anyone else you fight even faster.”  
  
Her gaze narrowed, but he knew he had sparked her curiosity. “How the hell—”  
  
“Bet me,” he interrupted, squeezing her wrists harder when she made a halfhearted attempt to get free. “Unless you’re afraid.”  
  
A low growl started in her throat. “Fine. You’re on. Now what…” She trailed off with a moan when he lifted her knee to his hip and pushed two fingers into her pussy. She was dripping for him already, or still, and immediately thrust against his hand to drive his fingers into her deeper. “God, Mason….”  
  
“Be still.” Though she cursed him, her body obeyed. It didn’t take long at all to get her where he wanted her. Driving his fingers in and out of her, his thumb rubbing on her clit, brought her to the edge in no time. It took a great deal of effort to resist the urge to push her down on the bed and fuck her with his tongue until she was a quivering wreck and blacked out. With a growl, he pulled away from her.   
  
“Goddammit, what the fucking hell—”  
  
“Shh.” Even from the living room, the others had likely heard her cursing. “I’ll put the wire on you.” Had it not taken all of his self-control to keep from giving her what she wanted, he might’ve laughed at her furious expression. “Keep your hands behind your back.”  
  
Though she looked ready to commit murder, she did as he said. “So your plan is to get me all hot and bothered and not let me get off?”  
  
Instead of answering immediately, he pulled his pants back up and leaned down to grab the wire off the floor. When he straightened, he groaned at the sight she made. Still holding her hands behind her back forced her shoulders back and her tits out. A trail of cream slid down the inside of her right thigh. “If it helps any,” he told her, bending down to suckle one of her nipples before affixing the wire just under it, “it’s driving me crazy, too.” That was no lie. Even with his pants pulled up, his dick threatened to pop free.  
  
“It…” She trailed off with a whimper when he lifted her leg to his hip again and thrust three fingers into her without warning.  
  
Pressing his thumb to her clit, he watched as her eyes fluttered closed and she struggled to catch her breath. Her pussy opened more for him when she turned the knee at his hip to wrap her leg around his waist. Her head dropped back when he twisted his hand, corkscrewing his fingers inside of her. Green eyes fluttered closed and a soft whimper escaped her swollen lips. She was too damned close already. Grinding his teeth, he tugged his fingers free. She whimpered so pitifully, he almost gave into her silent pleas. “Get dressed.”  
  
Her eyes popped open and she growled, “Mother fucking son of a—”  
  
He moved in a flash, gripping her hair and tugging her head back so she had to look up at him. “As soon as you’re dressed, I’m gonna do that again. But after you’re done with these stupid fights, and we’ve caught that bloody woman, I’ll fuck you till you can’t walk. I’ll make you cum so many times, you’ll be begging me to stop.” A smirk played on his lips. “And I won’t.”  
  
Though her eyes narrowed, she didn’t try to wriggle free from his ironlike grasp. “If you’re just jerking me around and don’t follow through…”  
  
Why the hell would she think he wouldn’t follow through? Did she not notice the fact that he was as hard as a fucking rock for her? He released her, but held her gaze with his. “Oh, I’m gonna follow through, sweetheart.”  
  
With a string of curses, she leaned down to grab her shorts. He didn’t wait for her to straighten before he gave into his own urges and plunged his fingers into her cunt again. If she thought she was pissed off and frustrated now, she hadn’t seen anything yet.  
  
By the time he got done with Dezh, that shapeshifter would be lucky to get out of the building alive.  
  



	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix is amused by Dezh’s foul mood when she and Mason finally emerge from her bedroom. She goes to the fight room while they listen and watch. Thanks to the wire she’s wearing, the team learns more about the shapeshifter they’re after, but the information raises some questions about Dezh's friends there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would've had this up sooner, but got distracted by a Nate one-shot with the MC I paired with him. I had to get that out first (I can't believe I wrote Nate fic!), because the characters wouldn't shut up until I wrote it. I'm still debating putting it up. It's almost too sappy and sweet for me to admit to writing.

**_Chapter 12_**  
  
Felix flopped into a chair at the table, sighing as he watched Nate and Adam eyeing Dezh’s bedroom doors. They’d been pacing between the living room and kitchen for almost fifteen minutes now, ever since they first heard the detective cursing loudly. Before that, there had been virtually no noise coming from the room—save for the sound of something banging against the wall.  
  
The thought made him chuckle. Mason had headed into her room almost an hour ago to give her the wire. Felix had known how that would end, especially after watching Mason grind his teeth while listening to that guy who’d shown up earlier. It might not have been jealousy, but the broody vampire hadn’t liked it one bit.  
  
After a few more excruciatingly uncomfortable minutes passed, the latch finally clicked on the pocket doors. A split second later, one of the doors slammed open so hard it bounced closed again. “Goddamned piece of shit!” Dezh thundered, repeating the same action again, to the same effect.  
  
Felix’s eyes widened slightly, then he burst into laughter as Mason pushed the doors open and sauntered through, with her on his heels. Staring daggers at the back of his head. And wearing very little. She looked good—even as ghostly pale as she was—but both the shorts and tank top she wore looked as though they’d been painted on her skin. When she came closer, the smell of sex hit him like a sledgehammer.  
  
“You don’t have much time to warm up now,” Adam said with an disappointed sigh. “I can—”  
  
“Do I _look_ like I need to warm up?” Dezh growled.   
  
Adam shook his head. “You look like you need to calm down. You can’t fight if…” The team leader trailed off when Dezh snarled at him— _snarled_! He actually took a step backwards, making Felix wish he had a video of this to watch later.  
  
Chuckling, Felix caught her gaze. “You look hot! You should dress like that all the time.”  
  
Normally, any type of compliment made her blush. Now, she just huffed and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I can see me walking into the station like this. It’s not a fashion choice, Felix, it’s the dress requirement. Women wear this—minus the tank top, when we get into the cage—and men wear shorts and no shirt. No shoes for anyone when the fight starts.”  
  
“Why?” Adam asked with a frown.   
  
Dezh grunted. “When I first joined, we could wear whatever we wanted, but then some noob came in with a damned knife in his shorts and stabbed his opponent.” Felix’s eyes widened. _Stabbed_? “Found out the guy banged his girlfriend or something. After that, Frank insisted we wear as little as possible, and that it’s tight enough so you can see if we’re packing a weapon.”  
  
Felix leaned forward as she started pulling her hair back, his gaze going to her neck. He laughed and pointed. “You’ve got hickeys all over your neck. Big ones.”  
  
Mason merely smirked when Dezh threw him a glare that could’ve made flowers shrivel and die. Felix didn’t point out that Mason’s scent was all over her now, too, so strong that any supernatural with an enhanced sense of smell would catch it. On second thought, an enhanced sense of smell wasn’t needed to know what she’d been up to.  
  
Sniffing, she started wrapping her hands. “If Frank gives me shit about the knuckle wraps, I’ll kick him in the nuts.”  
  
“That would be ill-advised,” Adam said dryly, over Felix and Mason’s laughter. “Did you remember to put the wire on?”  
  
She opened her mouth, snapped it shut, then looked to Mason before continuing to wrap her hands. “Mason put it on me.”  
  
Felix chuckled. “Along with—”  
  
“Felix, I swear I’ll smack the shit out of you,” Dezh growled.  
  
“No, you won’t,” he told her with a grin. “You love me.”  
  
Rolling her eyes, Dezh tossed the wrap aside, then grabbed her mouth guard from the side table. “I’m going. I need to punch somebody.”   
  
Mason barked a laugh and threw himself into the chair he’d claimed earlier.  
  
Adam shot Mason a glare and shook his head. “Wait, how does this work? You need to avoid fighting until the target shows up.”   
  
Dezh snorted disdainfully at him. “Adam, I never say no to anyone who wants to fight me. And right now, I want nothing more than to stomp someone into the fucking ground.”  
  
“Nadezhda, you’re still injured. You shouldn’t—”  
  
“Do you want to catch this shapeshifter or not?” she snapped. “I need to draw attention, just in case those two idiots outside weren’t her contacts. The only way I can do that is to fight.”  
  
Nate put a hand on her shoulder. “Please be careful.”  
  
“Quit worrying. This isn’t my first rodeo.” She smacked him on the arm and turned away.  
  
Felix glanced at Mason, whose gaze stayed trained on the detective’s backside until she got to the door. When she got there, and turned around, his friend’s eyes moved up, but didn’t quite make it to her face. Felix snickered.  
  
“You showed me how to take her down, Adam,” Dezh said. “I can do this, so just chill out until I get her here.”  
  
Adam sighed. “If you _can’t_ get her to come here—”  
  
“If I can’t get her to come here,” she interrupted. “I’ll go with her and figure it out from there.” Instead of discussing the matter, she walked out and jerked the door closed behind her.  
  
“I still don’t like this,” Nate said with a frown. Ignoring him, Adam snatched the receiver off the top of the refrigerator, where he’d set it earlier, then headed into the living room. Nate followed with a resigned sigh.   
  
Felix’s gaze went to Mason. “Why’s she so mad?”  
      
Mason snorted. “She wasn’t in the mood to fight, so I got her mad enough to destroy everything in her path.” His smirk said more than words ever could. Shrugging, he got to his feet and joined the rest of the team in the living room, leaving a grinning Felix at the table alone.  
  
                                                                                *  
  
“And here I was hoping you wouldn’t actually show tonight.”   
  
Dezh turned her head toward the man who spoke, her gaze narrowing. It had been several months since she’d seen him last. “And why would you hope that, Derik?”   
  
“You need to ask that?” After a moment, he sighed. “Do you not remember what happened the last time you insisted on a rematch this soon after you lost a fight? You were in the hospital for—”  
  
“I don’t want to talk about this shit,” she interrupted stiffly. The last thing she needed was to have Unit Bravo hearing about yet another time she’d gotten her ass kicked at this club.   
  
“Why? You’ve never been the type to avoid the truth. And no one is listening.”  
  
Dezh snorted before she could stop herself. Was there a chance they weren’t listening? Mason, probably—he ignored everything he could—but Felix listened to everything. So did Nate, and Adam would be listening intently. Ready to call her an idiot as soon as an opportunity presented itself. “I’m not avoiding anything,” she growled. “But reminding me that the worst beating I ever took was in a rematch, right before I’m about to be in another rematch, isn’t really helpful.”  
  
Shaking his head at her, he sighed. “You don’t have to do this, kid.”  
  
“Kid?” she repeated, before he could keep talking. “When are you gonna quit that? You’re only twelve years older than me.”  
  
Pointedly ignoring her, he continued, “Frank told me about that—woman. This is one of those fights you’re better off avoiding.”  
  
What the hell was he on about? “Derik, you’ve watched me fight in there for years now.” She nodded toward the cage, where two scrawny men whaled on each other. That fight wouldn’t last long. Most of them didn’t, really. “So, why are you worried about _her_?”  
  
“She’s more than you can handle.” When she opened her mouth to argue, he held up one hand. “If you want to fight tonight, fine, but don’t fight her. Let someone else fight her, Dezh.”  
  
“No, I need to do this.”  
  
The man sighed. “Sometimes I regret ever bringing you here.”   
  
Dezh laughed softly. “You’re the one who said I wouldn’t have survived to see my eighteenth birthday if you hadn’t.”  
  
“Because I’d never seen a kid so determined to chase death. The problem is, you’ve never grown out of it.”   
  
Yet more information she didn’t really care for Unit Bravo to hear, but she couldn’t let that comment pass. “I don’t chase it, I dance with it.”  
  
“Call it whatever you want, but most people don’t need to court death to feel alive.”  
  
“It’s not the only thing that makes me feel alive,” she grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. Her thoughts drifted to what had happened earlier in her room. Ire gave way to something else entirely, something that caused her skin to tingle and her blood to heat. Damn Mason for riling her up! “And don’t forget you said my beast needs to come out to play.”  
  
He snorted. “I just wish you’d find ways to soothe your savage beast that didn’t involve this club or driving like a kamikaze pilot on crack.” A throaty chuckle erupted from Dezh’s lips before she could stop it, but he just kept talking. “Mix it up a little. There are other ways to get that rush, you know. Skydiving, rock climbing, maybe—”  
  
“I’ve been skydiving,” she interrupted. “And loved it. But it’s too damned expensive. I like rock climbing, minus all the gear—that shit takes the fun out of it—but the closest place to climb that’s worth a damn is hours away, even with the way _I_ drive.”  
  
His face twisted into a constipated grimace. “You mean Satan’s Wall at Old Man’s Leap?”  
  
“Yep.”   
  
“You’re insane, you know that?”  
  
She rolled her eyes. “You’re the one who suggested both of those, so I guess you are, too.” A forlorn sigh escaped her lips. “Riding Mr. Peppers’ motorcycle worked, too. I really miss that thing.”  
  
“Then maybe you shouldn’t have wrecked it.”  
  
Dezh eyes narrowed as she stared at the man. “That was _not_ my fault and you know it. And I could’ve fixed it if he hadn’t…” She trailed off when she saw a ridiculously large man come through the doorway across the room. “Shit.”  
  
“What is it?” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him follow her gaze to the big man on the other side of the cage. “You know him?”  
  
“Yeah, I saw him outside earlier,” she said pointedly, hoping Adam was listening. “You ever seen him here?”  
  
Derik nodded. “His first time was a few months ago, when you disappeared for a bit because of those murders in Wayhaven. He beat the hell out of another noob so bad Frank made Jesse bring in a medic to make sure he was all right. They didn’t want a repeat of what happened with Leks.”  
  
Dezh nodded, not wanting to discuss that topic, either, especially after she’d implied no one had ever died due to a fight here. “Yeah. Has that dude been here since?”  
  
“A few times,” Derik answered with a sigh, “and always to the same end. He nearly killed Victor, landed him in the hospital for a couple of weeks. I don’t know why Frank let him come back—the guy’s a bloody psychopath.”  
  
“Do you know who invited him?”  
  
Eyeing her suspiciously, Derik frowned. “I have no clue. Why are you so interested? Don’t tell me you want to fight him, too. He’s—”  
  
“That’s not it,” she interrupted. “See what you can find out about him, though, and who invited him. Be discreet.”  
  
“I’ll do it, if you promise to get out of here before that bloody woman shows up.”   
  
“You know that’s not gonna happen, Derik. Will you do it or not?”  
  
His resigned sigh gave her the answer she wanted. “One of these days, you’re going to meet someone who can actually make you do the crap no one else can, the stuff you _should_ do.”  
  
Dezh snorted disdainfully. “Like avoid rematches with people who kicked my ass?”  
  
“For starters.”  
  
“Hate to disappoint you, but that’s never gonna happen.”   
  
“It will. I just hope I’m sitting ringside to watch.” He raised his hands when she growled at him. “I’m going, I’m going. I’ll be back when I learn something.”  
  
                                                                                    *  
  
Felix barked a laugh at the last bit between Dezh and Derik. Just as he was about to get Mason’s input on the matter, Adam moved in front of him.   
  
“Do you know Derik’s last name?”  
  
“No.” Felix gave a shrug. “I didn’t even know about this fight club thing until she told us the other day. Why?”  
  
Adam sighed, his mouth tightening. “I wonder if he’s a supernatural. When this is done, I intend to find out.”  
  
“Because of his warning to Dezh?” Nate asked.   
  
“Yes. He knows something, I’m certain of it.”  
  
Ignoring the rest of Nate and Adam’s conversation about Derik, Felix headed into the kitchen to get himself another drink. Dezh had stocked the refrigerator well, and he loved the hard soda she’d bought for him. But he’d finished the grape flavor. “Orange it is,” he muttered to himself.  
  
“Grab me another beer, will you?” Mason yelled from the living room, louder than necessary.   
  
“Sure.” After he grabbed Mason’s beer, and popped the tops off both bottles, he headed back into the living room. His eyes widened at what he saw on the screen. “She’s about to fight?”  
  
“Not with the shapeshifter,” Adam said stiffly. “I wish she wouldn’t do this.”  
  
Eyes glued to the television, Felix flopped down onto the couch next to Mason and handed him the beer. Dezh’s opponent was maybe an inch taller than her, though a lot beefier.  
  
“I’ve been waiting to finally get my hands on you again,” he growled, punching his palm with a thick fist.  
  
Someone shouted, “You didn’t get enough of her kicking your ass last time you fought her?”  
  
“In his defense,” Dezh said dryly, “I’m the only one here shorter than him, and the rest of you already beat him up multiple times.”   
  
“Bitch.”  
  
Rolling her head caused crunching sounds to carry over the wire, but Dezh ignored the name-calling. As soon as Frank stepped back and told them to fight, the man attacked. Had it actually landed, his punch might’ve ended the fight, given the amount of force behind it. Instead, he hit thin air. Off-balance from the punch, the man was fair game for the detective. She hooked her arm around his, jerked him forward and slammed her other hand into the back of his arm, just above the elbow. Her mic caught the loud pop, but it was quickly drowned out by his screaming. He grabbed his right arm, which now had an odd twist to it. Felix winced—a dislocated elbow was painful. Wasting no time, Dezh started after him, only to have Frank put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.  
  
Frank moved to the man’s side, asking if he wanted to yield. The asshole answered by cursing, shoving Frank out of his way with his good arm and running at Dezh. This time, she brought her arm out and leaned as he reached her. She ducked his punch just as the heel of her hand slammed into his middle. The guy dropped to the mat, out cold.  
  
“Holy crap!” Felix laughed, looking to Adam, whose lips were curled up slightly. “How’d she do that?”  
  
“A hard strike to the solar plexus can knock out even a larger opponent,” Adam answered dryly. “A human opponent, anyway.”  
  
Felix looked back to the screen, where two large men were now trying to rouse Dezh’s opponent, to no avail. He gave Mason a sideways glance. “Looks like what you did worked. Geez, that was cool.” A pleased smirk playing on Mason’s lips was the only response Felix received.   
  
Finally, one of the big men picked up the unconscious man and carried him out of the cage as Frank declared Dezh the winner. Frank leaned close to Dezh and laughed. “You’re in a hell of a mood tonight, huh?” He slapped her on the back, then grimaced when she growled at him. Clearing his throat, he raised his voice to address the crowd. “That was barely a match! Who’s next?”  
  
Four more matches passed in a very short time. A few punches or kicks were enough to take down almost every loser. Three of the four fights ended when one opponent yielded, and the fourth ended when the loser was knocked unconscious by a kick to the head.   
  
“Why do they give up so easily?” Felix asked, looking over at Adam.   
  
“Because they can’t endure the pain, and they fear permanent damage or death,” Adam answered quietly. “These aren’t fights like you see on television or in movies, Felix. These are brutal and fast, like real street fights. The human body can’t take repeated hits to the face, head, or other vulnerable areas and continue to function properly.”  
  
“Punches to the head can cause all sorts of problems,” Nate added with a frown. “Brain hemorrhages, bone fractures. Permanent neurological disorders. A hard-enough punch to the head can kill someone.”  
  
Adam let out a long breath. “Not to mention the cumulative brain damage from repeated blows to the head. Or permanent nerve damage in other areas of the body. That’s why this is so dangerous, especially for people with a high pain tolerance, and who would rather die than admit defeat.”  
  
Felix snorted. “That sounds like Dezh.”  
  
Adam’s jaw tightened at that, and he gave a curt nod. Felix’s attention was quickly drawn to Mason, however, when the broody vampire started flicking his lighter open and closed so ferociously that it was a wonder he didn’t break it. With a sniff, Felix looked back to the television to watch whatever fight was next.  
  
The sixth match was different, a well-timed testament to Adam’s point. Two hulking men entered the ring, one of whom Frank called a regular, and immediately started kicking the crap out of each other. Blood splattered on the fairly clean white mat beneath the men as they moved around the cage. There was nothing elaborate about the way the two fought, no finesse or fancy moves. It was nothing more than a slugfest, and it lasted several minutes before one of the men finally left the other lying on the mat in a small pool of his own blood. No one even attempted to lift the guy, they just shook him and waved something under his nose until, minutes later, he came to. It took two large men to help him out of the ring.  
  
“This is horrible.” Nate leaned forward, putting his hands over his face. “Why would anyone want to do this?”  
  
Felix chuckled. “To release their beast, according to Dezh. It seems accurate. Though some of these fights are boring. Maybe—”  
  
“You need to get out of here.”  
  
The sudden declaration—from a voice Felix now clearly recognized as Derik’s—got their attention. Even Mason leaned forward, staring at the speaker instead of the next fight on the screen.  
  
“You’re on this again?” Dezh asked, sounding frustrated. “Derik—”  
  
“That hulking bastard you asked about is the one who brought the”—he paused slightly, letting out a sigh—“ _woman_ you fought the other night. He calls himself Tiny. I couldn’t get his real name. The woman calls herself Paula. Couldn’t get a last name on her. But that little guy who beat the shit out of Pete a little while ago? He’s with her, too—his name’s Burton. Clayton Burton. Arantxa Febland invited all of them.”  
  
“Adam,” Nate began quietly, do you want me to—”  
  
“I’ll call the Agency and see what they can find on them,” Adam interrupted, grabbing his phone and walking out of the room. At least they had something to go on now, even if it wasn’t much.  
  
Dezh was quiet for a moment, the wire she wore picking up only the slight sound of her heartbeat. Thankfully, the mic muted the other sounds in the fight room. “Arantxa doesn’t even—”  
  
“Nadezhda,” he interrupted, his voice quivering, “you have to go. _Now_. Tiny’s going to challenge you, right before she does. No, please don’t argue with me. You don’t understand what they are. They want to take you out of here, and kid, I don’t think I can stop them.”  
  
She was silent for a moment, only long enough for Felix to exchange a look with Nate, then she let out a soft breath. “I know what she is, and I know what they want. And why. If I can’t beat her, and it comes down to it, let them take me.” After a slight pause, she added, “Trust me. I know what I’m doing.”  
  
Derik let out a loud sigh. “I sure hope so.”  
  
Though he didn’t say it aloud, Felix hoped so, too.  



	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unit Bravo learns a bit about the shifter's associates. Dezh gets a few surprises of her own as she prepares to face the woman the Agency is so keen to question.

**_Chapter 13_**  
  
“Are you all right?”  
  
Mason turned his gaze to Felix and sneered. “Why wouldn’t I be?”  
  
For some reason, the young vampire appeared to be fighting a smile. “You just seem kinda nervous.”  
  
“I’m sick of watching this shit,” he growled. Most of the fights were too one-sided to be interesting, and the rest were just two people knocking the shit out of each other until one of them fell. There’d only been a few fights since Derik issued his ominous warning to Dezh, but it felt like days had passed. It didn’t help that the present fight consisted of two women stalking each other and shit-talking instead of fighting.  
  
“Did you learn anything?”  
  
Mason glanced over at Nate, then to Adam, who had stepped into the living room once again. “Nothing on Arantxa Febland at all. I even had Ella check law enforcement databases worldwide. It’s like she doesn’t exist.”  
  
“Maybe that’s not her real name,” Nate mused.  
  
“Or it’s been scrubbed.”   
  
Frowning, Mason eyed Adam. “You think that’s it?”  
  
The team leader nodded. “Missing information is a trend with this group. When Burton was fourteen, he was arrested for armed robbery and served a year in juvenile detention While he was there, he and another kid, Augustine Clegg, aka Tiny, became friends. Clegg was…” Adam cleared his throat. “When he was twelve, he got into a schoolyard fight with an older boy and snapped his neck. They put him in juvie until he was fifteen. When he was released, he was put into foster care, only to run away two months later. Less than a year later, he and Burton were arrested for attempted rape, and aggravated assault and battery. Two days after they were taken into custody, the charges were dropped and the accusers’ names were scrubbed.” His jaw tightened. “That was fifteen years ago and there’s been nothing on either of them since. No tax records or credit cards. Not even a driver’s permit.”  
  
“Guys,” Felix said loudly, “I think that’s Tiny.”  
  
Mason turned his attention back to the screen, his brow knit so tightly that it made his head hurt. In the cage stood a hulking beast of a man who pointed toward someone in the crowd. Most likely, Dezh. Draining the rest of his beer, he set the empty bottle on the dark wooden coffee table and reached for his lighter.  
  
A split second later, Derik’s voice came through the speaker. “You can’t fight him. I told you what he did to Victor. He’ll—”  
  
“I’ll be fine, Derik.”   
  
When Dezh made it to the cage, Mason groaned. Next to her opponent, she looked like a child—the top of her head didn’t even reach his chest and his forearms were as big around as her head. One good punch from him and she’d be out.  
  
“She can handle him,” Adam said flatly.  
  
Felix snorted. “I just hope he doesn’t sit on her or there won’t be anything left of her to fight the shapeshifter. That guy’s huge!”  
  
Mason glared at his friend, then looked back to the screen.   
  
No sooner than Frank stepped aside did Dezh launch herself at her opponent. She faked a punch to his middle then, at the last second, twisted and smashed her heel into the outside of his knee. His massive hand swallowed her fist to block the punch, but the kick landed. There wasn’t enough force behind it to break the bone, but he bellowed a curse and bent to grab his knee. Taking advantage of the way he now leaned forward, Dezh swung a horizontal hammer fist at his temple, but he managed to dodge a bit and took the punch high on his cheekbone, instead.  
  
The shot might’ve knocked out a smaller opponent, but it barely staggered Clegg. So, when she attacked his knee again, he shoved her hard with both hands just as her foot made contact. Off-balance from the kick, she stumbled backward and fell to the mat.   
  
Clegg limped toward her as she rolled and jumped to her feet. She dodged his full-armed punch, moving around him to slam her elbow into his right kidney. With a grunt, he spun toward her just as her foot struck his already injured knee. The massive man let out a pained roar, but used her close proximity to slam his head into her forehead.  
  
The loud crack and Dezh’s pained groan made Mason’s jaw clench. Clearly dazed, she gripped the fence for support. The impact had split open the unhealed cut above her left eye, causing blood to trickle down her face. The deep red droplets spattered onto the mat beneath her when she wiped her eyes. Thankfully, her opponent wasn’t doing much better—rather than rushing her, he slowly hobbled toward her.  
  
A knot coiled in the pit of Mason’s stomach as Clegg reached her. She staggered away, barely managing to stay upright. Mason grunted. Why the hell did his chest feel like it was caught in a vice? It didn’t help that the room felt unpleasantly cold all of a sudden, sending a chill through his bones. He shook off the feeling as Dezh appeared to regain her senses.  
  
She managed to dodge another attack, but her movements were noticeably uncoordinated. The man took advantage and lunged at her, hands reaching for her throat. Blank-faced, Dezh dropped her guard, and let him do it. _Let_ him! Clegg’s enormous hands completely enveloped her long neck as he lifted her off the mat and limped across the cage to slam her into the fence. Feet dangling in the air, she simultaneously brought her knee up hard under the right side of his chin, cupped both palms and slammed them over the man’s ears. He let out a pained wail and released his grip on her, dropping to the mat.  
  
Dezh fell as well, her body crumpling like a ragdoll. Gasping for air, she crawled away on all fours and used the fence to pull herself upright. Though she was unsteady, she went after Clegg, only to have Frank stop her with a hand on her shoulder to stop her. His gaze went to Clegg, who wasn’t moving, then he snapped his fingers and pointed at the prone man.  
  
Two more men hurried into the cage, one of them nodding at Dezh as they passed her. The detective didn’t seem to notice, her entire body tensed and focused on her opponent. Ready to fight. As the two men knelt at Clegg’s side, one looked back and shook his head at Frank, who raised Dezh’s hand to declare her winner. Her only response was to let out a breath that slumped her shoulders.  
  
Frank moved closer to Dezh. “Are you okay?”   
  
“I’m fine.”  
  
He held two fingers in front of her face, but she didn’t seem able to focus on them. “How many fingers am I holding up?”  
  
“Eat a dick.”  
  
Mason snorted at that, glancing at Felix when the young vampire started chuckling.   
  
“Dezh, your forehead’s bleeding and your eyes are—”  
  
Her voice was strained when she interrupted him. “Frank, I said I’m fine. Now fucking drop it.” Another man came into the cage to hand her a bottle of water. She didn’t seem to notice it until he put it in her hand, and only took a sip or two before pushing it at Frank. “Thanks.”  
  
“I don’t think she knows where she is,” Nate said quietly. “That headbutt likely gave her a concussion.”  
  
“She has a hard head,” Mason responded, watching the screen with a frown. She was fine.  
  
After a few minutes, the two men got Clegg to his feet. “I’m gonna make you scream,” the guy shouted, the threat not very impressive given he couldn’t yet walk without help.  
  
“Touch me and I’ll take out your other knee,” Dezh growled as he was led out of the cage. Letting out a soft breath, she slowly moved toward the cage’s exit, but before she reached the door, a woman called out a challenge to her. The shapeshifter. So, Derik had been right. Dezh gripped the heavy chain link fence and sighed, but gave a slight nod of agreement. The crowd in the room grumbled, some shouting objections.   
  
Mason took out a cigarette and put it between his lips, then quickly removed it and inhaled deeply. All he could smell was Dezh. Still, after another deep breath, he decided against smoking and stuffed the cigarette back into his pocket. Felix eyed him with a raised eyebrow, then grinned and looked away. What the hell was his problem?  
  
“They should at least get a break between matches.” Nate sounded worried, as always, but probably for good reason.  
  
On the screen, a woman slowly moved into sight as she stepped into the cage. Tall and bony—just as Dezh had described her—the shapeshifter had dark, closely-cropped hair and deeply tanned skin.  
  
“We’re taking a fifteen-minute break first,” Frank said coldly, moving in front of Dezh when the shifter neared her.  
  
“Frank, it’s—”  
  
“You know the rules; no one here does two fights in a row.” Frank stood toe to toe with the shifter, two large men moving behind her as though they expected her to cause trouble. “After the break, there’ll be one more fight, then you two can have your rematch. Until then, get the hell out of my cage.”  
  
The woman looked as though she considered starting trouble, but decided against it. After offering the slightest nod, she left.   
  
“Cut the cameras until the break’s done,” Frank ordered. A moment later, a standby message popped up onscreen. At least they could still hear what was going on through the wire Dezh wore.  
  
“What kinda shit are you pulling, Frank?”   
  
“You know the rules, Dezh. They apply to you, too.” He paused. “Take her to Derik. And keep that bitch and her friends away from her. Hear him out, and let him patch you up. You aren’t getting back in here if you’re still bleeding.” His voice dropped lower. “No one would think less of you if you didn’t fight her. Especially after fighting _that_ guy. Don’t let your pride—”  
  
“It’s not about pride,” she interrupted. “It’s just something I have to do.”  
  
He let out a defeated sigh. “Maybe Derik can talk some sense into you.”  
  
“Why would the shapeshifter want to send that guy in to fight her first?”  
  
Adam looked at Felix, his lips pursed. “To weaken her. They want to take her out of here, according to Derik. Easier to do that if she’s unconscious or too disoriented to argue.”  
  
“I don’t know how she can do this,” Nate said quietly. “She’s still injured from the other night, and the fight against Clegg took a lot out of her.”  
  
“If I doubted her ability to do this, I never would have agreed to it.” The team leader grunted. “You should spar with her sometime. She can keep going after others would have given up, and even when she is exhausted, she gets angry when I refuse to continue. She does _not_ know when to stop.”  
  
A chuckle escaped Mason before he could stop it.  
  
“A quality you’ve found in her as well, Mason?” Felix asked with a grin.  
  
Though a smirk started to form on his lips, Mason rolled his eyes and got up to get himself another beer. Between her stubbornness and the fact that he’d pissed her off so much, Dezh would be able to handle the shapeshifter. And, if she did it fast enough, he’d win yet another bet with her. That thought made him smile—he really needed to start cashing in on those soon.  
  
                                                                           *  
  
Dezh didn’t say a word to the two bulky men who shadowed her through the building and up to the fourth floor. She’d known them both for years. Matt, the older of the two, had been a guard at the fights since before she’d joined. Nikolai was only a couple of years older than Dezh herself, and had started fighting at the club the same year she did, though Frank had hired him soon after that. They were both nice guys, but she was too pissed off to talk to them, a fact they apparently recognized.  
  
She stopped in front of the door to Derik’s apartment. “He’s in here?”  
  
When they nodded, she reached for the doorknob. Nikolai’s voice stopped her. “I know you’re angry,” he told her, unable to hide his thick Russian accent despite his best efforts. “But we didn’t have a choice. Frank’s club, Frank’s rules.”   
  
Curling her lip, at herself more than them, she shook her head. “I know, Nikolai. It’s fine.”  
  
“For what it’s worth,” Matt said, “I don’t think you should fight that bitch either.”  
  
Dezh’s jaw tightened. “Great, yet someone else telling me I’m incapable of handling a goddamned fight.”  
  
“That’s not what I meant and you know it.” Matt shook his head and gestured toward the door. “Just hear what Derik has to say, please.”  
  
Rolling her eyes, she grunted as the two men walked away. It wasn’t like she had much of a choice. She barged in without knocking, her lips curling into a small smile when her thoughts drifted to Mason doing the same to her earlier. She gave herself a mental shake, knowing she needed to focus on fighting the shifter.  
  
Derik’s apartment had been redecorated since she’d last been there. Though it was the same layout as her basement apartment, it was over twice as large with blindingly-white walls and light-colored everything, so disgustingly bright that she found herself wishing she’d worn her sunglasses. The wall between the kitchen and living room had been removed, and the cabinets now jutted out into an angled peninsula that split the two areas. The dining table sat behind the sofa, with a good view of the television on the far wall.  
  
Stepping into the living room, Dezh gazed up at the display case on the inside wall. It held her favorite of Derik’s weapons—a custom-made Damascus steel gladius, its blade so dark it almost seemed to absorb light. The bulbous pommel was intricately carved and perfectly shaped into a wolf’s head. It was a beautiful weapon, perfect for battling in close quarters.  
  
“I have new blades, you know.”  
  
Dezh turned her head as Derik came out of his bedroom with a huge first aid kit in hand. “I noticed. But this is still the best.”  
  
“If I can ever again find the blacksmith who made it, I’ll have him make one for you.” He set the first aid kit on the table and gestured toward a chair. “Sit with me?”  
  
After a slight pause, she let out a long breath and took a seat. “Frank called for a fifteen-minute break, so make it quick.”  
  
“He won’t start the fights again until I text him.”  
  
Dezh growled, “What the hell is wrong with you people? It’s not like you’ve never seen me lose a fight before. Give me grief, tell me what I did wrong, but don’t pull this shit, acting like I’m some pathetically helpless moron!”  
  
“When have I ever treated you that way? Dezh, I’ve watched you take down opponents twice your size before.” Letting out a sigh, his lips twisted into a grimace. “But there are things at play here you don’t understand. You can’t fight Paula.”  
  
“Ugh.” Were they _trying_ to drive her into a rage? “Say whatever you have to say, but I _am_ fighting the damned woman.”  
  
“Bloody hell, you’re the most stubborn person I’ve ever met!” Derik never upset easily, but she’d always had a knack for doing it. “I didn’t want to do this, but…” Trailing off, he sighed. “Dezh, this woman—Paula—she’s not quite human.”  
  
Dezh couldn’t stop her gaze from narrowing. What the fuck? “What the hell are you talking about?”  
  
“I’m afraid words won’t suffice. I have to show you.”   
  
Wrinkling her nose, she cocked her head at him and rubbed her hand over the side of her cheek. She glanced at the smeared blood on her hand, then wiped it off on her shorts before looking back at him. “If you take your pants off, I’m leaving. You’re like a brother to me. And this isn’t Game of Thrones.”  
  
Derik barked a laugh at that. “Nothing like that. It’s just…” Leaning toward her, he put his hand on her arm. His grasp was familiar, warm and strong, but then she _felt_ it change.   
  
Her gaze dropped to find a fuzzy bear paw on her arm. A large one. _Well, shit_. She looked back up at him with an amused smirk and raised one brow. His face was still the same, but his brown eyes were filled with concern. Only his hand had changed. “So, you’re a… bear. Werebear? Shapeshifter?”  
  
“You aren’t surprised,” he said, eyebrows knitting together. “Or freaked out. You already knew supernaturals exist.”  
  
“Yep. And if you’re”—her lips quirked up in amusement—“part bear, I guess you can smell my weird blood?”  
  
He snorted. “I’ve known your blood was different since the day Shioda brought you into my dojo. He didn’t even have to tell me.” So Master Shioda was a supernatural, too? “But right now, your scent is all mixed up with the smell of sex and a vampire, which I’m guessing you knew when you—”  
  
“Yes, I know vampires.” She glared at him when he flashed her a somewhat amused look. “And that the damned woman is a shapeshifter, so—”   
  
“That’s not entirely accurate.”  
  
She scowled at him, though the threat behind it was likely diminished when she had to wipe away more blood that dribbled down the side of her face. “Well, get on with it. I have a fight to get to.”  
  
Rolling his eyes, he handed her a small towel. “Apply pressure to your head while I talk, before you end up bleeding out.”  
  
“I’m not bleeding that bad!” she snapped. She put the towel to her head, anyway, mainly because she was tired of having blood flow down her face. And worried the scent of her blood might bother him. She barely stopped herself from asking that very question—that, and any other questions, would have to wait. “Now tell me what the hell you’re talking about.”  
  
Derik rubbed his temples. “Since you’re in such a hurry to get your ass kicked again, I’ll give you the short version. Children born from a union between people like my parents are human. Except for a few that aren’t, and we call ourselves half-breeds. I can shapeshift up to half of my body at a time into bear form, except for certain parts I can’t shift.”  
  
A chuckle bubbled in Dezh’s chest at that, then tumbled from her lips before she could stop it.   
  
“Yes, that’s one part, you pervert,” Derik told her with a half-amused grin. “Anyway, my father could only shapeshift into a bear. Honestly, I’m not sure if he was a werebear or demon—or something else—since I barely knew him My mother never knew either.”  
  
“What does this have to do with this chick?”  
  
“She’s a half-breed, too.”  
  
Dezh’s gaze narrowed. “How do you know that? You weren’t here when I fought her, and didn’t even know who invited her before tonight.”  
  
He grimaced, running a hand over the back of his neck. “Jesse told me.”  
  
“Wait, what?” She pulled the towel away and stared at him with her mouth agape. “How could Jesse know?”  
  
“He said her scent is like mine. Half-breeds smell different from other supernaturals. I’ve noticed it myself when I’ve been around them, but you have to get pretty close before you realize it.” After a moment, he clarified, “Jesse’s a vampire.”  
  
Dezh blinked. “Is Frank?”  
  
“No, he’s human, though not for much longer. If you wait too long, being turned is more likely to kill you.” He shrugged. “Frank’s over forty now, so they’re doing it soon. Hopefully, it will work.”  
  
Clenching her jaw, Dezh balled both hands into fists. She’d been surrounded by supernaturals her entire life, yet no one bothered to tell her. Why did every fucking person in her life insist on lying to her constantly? “Who else?”  
  
“Nikolai _is_ a werebear.” He cracked a smile. “You’d love it—when he shifts, he looks like a polar bear.”  
  
That declaration would’ve normally prompted a grin, but not now. “Arantxa? You said she invited steroid boy and the shifter?”  
  
“She’s… complicated.” Rolling his shoulders, Derik gave her a pained look. “Do you know about Echo?” He waited for her nod. “Arantxa is a demon from Echo. She could take your head off in one swipe. That’s why Frank doesn’t let her fight. Well, that and the fact that she has a few screws loose. I’m not sure why she invited them, but I’ve never trusted her. Frank’s hesitant to ban her, though.”  
  
“Because he’s afraid she’ll take his head off?”  
  
Derik snorted. “Maybe. Look, kid, I’m glad the truth is finally out. I hope you can forgive us. We just… we didn’t know how to tell you.”  
  
Slowly releasing a long breath, Dezh considered his words. And the things Adam had told her since they’d been working together. How supernaturals feared humans’ reactions to their presence. Still, this was _her_! “You should’ve known I wouldn’t care.” She waved a hand to stop the argument that formed on his lips. “Just don’t hide anything else from me, Derik. You and Frank—hell, everyone here—you guys have always accepted me, and that’s more than I ever got from anyone else. It’s fine.”  
  
“It won’t happen again.” He flashed her a small smile. “There’s more you need to know about Paula. Half-breeds can only shift to one animal form. Her other form is a cat. That stone golem thing she does? Not normal. She had to have been altered somehow, likely with magic. You have no idea what you’re getting into, because none of _us_ have any idea what you’re getting into.”  
  
“Doesn’t matter,” she said simply, setting the towel on the table, bloody side up. “I have to fight her. I have to get her to…”  
  
“Are you working for the Agency?” he asked when she fell silent. A soft sigh escaped his lips at her blank-faced stare. “I’ve never worked with them, but I know they exist. I hear they do a lot of good behind the scenes. But I prefer to avoid shady government agencies.”  
  
She snorted at that, mainly because she’d always agreed with the sentiment. “Yeah. They’ve been looking for her for a while. I’m just a lowly liaison, so I don’t know the details. But she can’t get away, Derik. I’d rather knock her ass out and get her to my place downstairs, but if she”—she clenched her jaw—“takes me down again, then let her and her damned goons take me out of here. Don’t get in her way, and don’t let anyone else stop her. All right?”  
  
He stared at her like she was a stranger. “Whatever team you’re working with—I’m guessing vampires, given the scent of the one all over you—they’re here to back you up? And follow, if you get taken?” When she nodded, he sighed. “You trust the Agency that much?”  
  
“No,” she answered without hesitation, “but I trust my _team_ that much.”  
  
“I guess there’s a first for everything. You trusting _anyone_ , who’d have believed it?” Derik laughed softly. “Jesse’d be happy to hear it, though. He’s always complaining that no one likes vampires.” His expression turned solemn in an instant. “But he’d also warn you that some of them are dangerous, and to be careful.”  
  
“I’ve heard the same spiel from Adam. Repeatedly.”   
  
“Is this Adam the one who—”  
  
“No,” Dezh interrupted, the very thought of it causing her brow to knit together and her nose to wrinkle. “He’s just always nagging me for being too reckless and having no fear or some crap like that.” Truthfully, she tuned him out when he started about it.   
  
“He apparently knows you pretty well, then.” Derik chuckled when she growled at him, but his amusement quickly disappeared. “Some supernaturals _are_ dangerous. Dezh, with Paula… if she could do a full shift to stone golem form, she could kill you in a heartbeat. She could do it now, if that was her goal. Look, supernaturals—”  
  
“Believe me,” she interrupted, not in the mood for a lecture about how weak and _human_ she was, “I’m well aware some of them are dangerous.”  
  
He eyed her with a frown. “Something happened. What was it?”  
  
She shrugged nonchalantly, though a flash of anger pulsed through her, heating her blood. “A psycho vamp abducted me, tortured me for a few hours, then used me as a lab rat in an experiment that killed everyone else he tried it on. So yeah, I get it. But that doesn’t make all vampires bad.” She glanced at the clock. “Look, the whole show and tell game’s been great, but I need to go fight this bitch.”  
  
“Did your team tell you how to beat her?”  
  
“Take her out fast. Go for the eyes, nose, throat, and major joints. Pretty much how I already fight when I’m not just fucking around.”  
  
He grunted. “Half-breeds aren’t quite the same as other shifters. Since she can only shift one part of her body at a time, your best bet is to fake her out. Make her think you’re hitting low, then go high. Forget the joints. But the face…” His head slowly morphed into that of a brown bear. “What do you see?”  
  
“A cute bear head,” she told him, examining him more closely. His eyes, and the space right around them, were human. His nose wasn’t quite right, either. “Your eyes and nose are yours.”   
  
“Yeah. And my ears and throat are still vulnerable, though you can’t tell because of the fur. It’s the same for her, even when she shifts to stone golem form. Jesse watched her when you two fought, and wanted to make sure you knew where to hit her, if you insisted on doing this. And there’s one other thing.”  
  
Dezh tilted her head at him when he hesitated and looked away from her. “What is it?”  
  
“It’s a—I guess you’d call it a defect we have. I found it by accident, so there’s no telling if she knows or not. Give me your hand.” When she obliged, he pulled it toward the back of his neck. “Put your fingers there and tell me what you feel.”  
  
Shrugging, she did as he said. And felt a weird nodule. “You’ve got a weird bump on your neck.”  
  
He nodded and released her hand. “All half-breeds have it, so she has it, too. It’s like a built-in snooze button—hit it hard enough or keep pressure on it for more than fifteen seconds and we’ll be out for twenty or thirty minutes. It’s not easy to reach, but it’s there, even when she shifts.” Running a hand through his hair, he eyed her. “Those two thugs will insist on going with her to your apartment. If they see your team there, they’ll take her and run.”  
  
Letting out a long breath, Dezh cracked her neck. “Well, I don’t see them outrunning vampires. Besides, they can’t get back to the rest of the building without my key, so they’d have to go out the basement exit, where another team’s ready to catch them.” At least, she hoped so. “As for my team…” She trailed off and held back a groan—she’d left in such a hurry, they hadn’t discussed this. “They’re gonna hide in the living room with the doors partially closed. I’ll get the thugs to put the shifter on my bed. Even if the idiots run, we’ve got the shifter.”  
  
“That should work.”  
  
Dezh nodded and got to her feet. “Thanks. Go ahead and tell Frank to get it started again.”  
  
“You need stitches first.” When she opened her mouth to argue, he quickly added, “You know Frank won’t let you back in the cage if you’re bleeding. I taught you this crap the first night I brought you here.”   
  
Huffing and rolling her eyes, she dropped back into the chair. “Stitch it up, just be quick about it.”  
  
“I’ll get you a shot of whiskey.”  
  
She caught his arm as he started to move away, then shook her head. “I can’t afford to have my senses dulled.” When he cocked one eyebrow at her, she shrugged. “It won’t be the first time you’ve given me stitches without anything to dull the pain.”  
  
He shook his head at her. “I think you _like_ the pain.”  
  
“Goddammit, Derik, I need stitches not a fucking psych eval,” she growled.  
  
“Always such a pleasant patient,” he said with a small smile as he grabbed a bottle of iodine from the first aid kit and pushed her hair out of the way. “I’ll try to make sure you don’t end up with another scar.”  
  
Dezh just sighed and waited for the torture to begin.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hadn't intended to play the fight club scenes all the way through, but characters want to share what they want to share. Plus, it's seriously relevant to the overall plot. The next chapter should be up soon.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> UB waits for Dezh to fight the shifter and deals with the aftermath.

**_Chapter 14_**  
  
As the wall clock ticked by the seconds and only the sound of Dezh’s even breathing carried over the speaker, Felix looked to the other three members of Unit Bravo. No one had spoken a word during the detective’s conversation with Derik. Even Mason had stayed quiet, not offering even one snarky comment. That Dezh had been surrounded by supernaturals for so long, and that they clearly seemed to try to look out for her, was more than a little surprising. Though, maybe it shouldn’t have been.  
  
Nate finally broke the silence. “Fighting in this place is bad enough, but with so many supernaturals here, Dezh could be in even more danger.”  
  
“Why?” Felix asked. “They watch her back.”  
  
“But they allow other supernaturals to fight,” Adam said sternly. “What if she fights one that can’t control their reaction to her blood? The only one in the cage with her is Frank, and he’s human. He wouldn’t be able to stop them.”  
  
“Supernaturals probably don’t come here to challenge humans much, anyway,” Felix mused.  
  
Adam sighed. “All it takes is one, and given the way her blood affects all supernaturals, it’s too risky.”  
  
Felix stared blankly at the team leader for a moment. “You promised her the Agency would leave this place alone. And if you tell her not to come here and fight, she’ll just do it more.”  
  
“I know. But the less she comes here, the better.”  
  
Mason flipped his lighter open and closed several times, his jaw tight. Then, suddenly, his lips twisted into a slight smirk. A smirk that quickly became a smile.  
  
“Looks like Mason has an idea,” Felix quipped, grinning when his friend rolled his eyes. “Care to share your thoughts?”  
  
“No,” Mason growled.  
  
The irritable response just made Felix want to needle him more. His gaze drifted to the television when the feed to the fight room started up again, but then he looked to Adam, who stood stiffly with his arms crossed behind him. “Maybe you should task Mason with convincing her to come here less,” he said, affecting the most innocent tone he could manage. “If he could give her some other way to release her beast—”  
  
“Felix.” Nate frowned and shook his head. “That’s enough.”  
  
Felix shrugged, unable to hide his grin. “Just trying to help. The only way the detective won’t come here as often is if she has some other way to—”  
  
“Felix!”  
  
“Blow off some steam,” he finished, ignoring Nate’s disapproving glare. His gaze drifted to the team leader, who rubbed his temples with both hands. “You look tense, Adam.”  
  
“Trying to keep the detective safe is a daunting task,” he grunted. “We assumed she goes home and to bed when we leave her after patrols, but she’s been coming here. Who knows what other things she does when we aren’t at her side?”  
  
“You shouldn’t complain when I take her drinking after patrols, then,” Felix said with a grin, “or if Mason—”  
  
This time, it was Adam who interrupted him. “Enough, Felix.” Nate gave the team leader a grateful look before sighing and turning his attention back to the television.  
  
A comfortable silence fell amongst the team as they watched the fights, boring as most of them were. Felix had almost forgotten about the shapeshifter, at least until the woman came into view. “There’s the shifter,” he said, then corrected, “or half-breed, according to Derik.”  
  
“Do you think what he said is true?” Nate asked. “Could an entire group of supernaturals have slipped under the Agency’s radar?”  
  
“I would think not, but if their numbers are small enough, I suppose it’s possible.” Letting out a long breath, Adam shook his head and focused on the screen.  
  
“I’m pleased to see you’ve recovered from our last bout,” the shapeshifter said with a wry smile as Dezh moved into the cage. She barked a laugh as she eyed Dezh’s face. “Partially, anyway. I’ll try not to hurt you too badly this time.”  
  
Felix flinched at the insult, but Dezh responded flatly, “I can’t promise the same.”  
  
The shapeshifter laughed at that, cracked her fingers and stood facing Dezh without angling her body even a bit. It was bold, a dare meant to antagonize the detective. The shifter had no fear, and didn’t believe for a moment that Dezh posed a threat. That was her first mistake.  
  
Felix’s gaze drifted to Mason, who held his lighter in a viselike grip, the muscles in his hand visibly straining. The broody vampire’s jaw was tight, his brow set in a deep scowl. Was he actually worried?  
  
“She can do this.” Adam’s words, clearly meant to cut through the tension in the room, had about as much effect as a dull knife on a leather boot.  
  
Felix turned his attention back to the screen and flopped back onto the couch to get comfortable, but Mason sat forward, his gaze glued to the fight as it began. The shifter attacked first. Dezh dodged a powerful but poorly thrown punch and moved closer, coming up with the heel of her palm into the woman’s nose. The shift happened so quickly, humans would have missed it but, for a split second, the woman’s skin turned to stone. The shift didn’t protect her from the attack, however, which left her nose bloodied and eyes watering. The detective struck again, this time popping the woman in the throat with bent fingers. The shifter gagged, her hand turning to stone just as a faster-than-human backhand caught the detective on the side of the head.  
  
The blow knocked Dezh back into the fence with such force it was a wonder the metal didn’t break.  
  
“You all right?” Frank asked, moving to her side as she scrambled to her feet.  
  
“I’m fucking pissed,” she hissed, launching herself at the shifter. The woman—who still struggled to regain her breath—never saw it coming when Dezh suddenly leapt in the air and, in one quick motion, threw her legs around the shifter’s neck and brought her to the mat. Hard.  
  
Felix’s brow raised as Dezh moved again, somehow twisting her body like a pretzel and ending up with the shifter in a secured headlock that also trapped one of the woman’s arms at the shoulder. “Holy crap, I didn’t know she could do that!”  
  
“As I said, you should spar with her sometime,” Adam said with a snort.  
  
The shifter’s initial attempts to pry herself free failed. Roaring, she struggled to her feet and ran backwards, slamming Dezh’s back into the cage. The detective didn’t so much as grunt—she just held onto the woman’s head and, now, had her legs locked around her opponent’s midsection. The shifter used her free hand to claw at Dezh’s arms with the fingers of a stone golem, apparently no longer caring if anyone noticed. Dezh held on, even when the stone scraped skin from the forearm she had pressed against the shifter’s throat.  
  
Nate moved closer to the television, frowning. “She’s trying to draw blood.”  
  
Adam nodded wordlessly, looking surprisingly serene.  
  
“Shit,” Mason growled, getting to his feet. “If she gets her blood…” Trailing off, he stared at the screen.  
  
Felix turned his gaze as well, just in time to see Paula stumble. She dropped to the mat, but Dezh kept her grappled until Frank lifted the woman’s arm to make sure she was out. Disentangling herself, Dezh got to her feet. As soon as Frank raised her arm to declare her the victor, a man in a black suit and bow tie rushed into the cage to kneel by the shifter. Burton. He’d changed clothes after his fight?  
  
Adam cleared his throat. “Derik was off by a bit. That took nearly twenty seconds.”  
  
“You rendered her unconscious,” Burton declared angrily, smoothing the shifter’s hair from her face.  
  
“Just returning the favor,” Dezh said dryly. She crossed her arms over her chest, then shrugged nonchalantly. “Look, after our fight the other night, she said she wanted to talk to me. If you want, you can bring her to my apartment downstairs.”  
  
The man looked up at her with an intense stare, then nodded. “Very well.” Gently, he lifted the shifter in his arms and rose to his feet. “Lead the way.”  
  
Adam let out a breath. “That was almost too easy.”  
  
Felix ignored the team leader and watched the screen as Frank handed Dezh something. “What did he just give her?” As soon as the question left his lips, he saw Dezh wrapping something around her arm. A bandage?  
  
Dezh disappeared from the screen, along with Burton and the shifter. For a few moments, no one spoke. Then: “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”  
  
“You remember Tiny, do you not?”  
  
Dezh snorted. “Tiny? Well, steroids _are_ infamous for shrinking guys’ dicks, so—”  
  
“I’ll smack that smart mouth of yours so hard you’ll scream,” a deep voice declared.  
  
“Try it and you’ll be eating out of a tube the rest of your life.” Dezh paused. “Hey, bow-tie, get pencil-dick out of my way. _Now_.”  
  
“My name is Clayton.” Burton’s voice was like steel when he spoke. “Tiny is with us. Where Paula goes, he goes.”  
  
“Unless you put a leash on him, he’ll be going in a body bag.”  
  
Next to Felix, Mason snorted.  
  
“Get out of her way, Augustine,” the first man said firmly. “This is not the time for your theatrics.”  
  
“You and I aren’t done, little girl.”  
  
“I’m counting on it, pencil-dick,” Dezh responded, her tone full of fake cheer. “Now get the fuck out of my way.” She paused, then barked a laugh. “Ooh, nice purse, I think my grandmother had one just like it.”  
  
Felix laughed, moving a hand to his sides so it wouldn’t hurt. Mason just snorted and rolled his eyes.  
  
“Must she antagonize _everyone_?” Adam growled.  
  
“You think these guys deserve better?” Felix cocked a brow at the team leader. “They’re trying to bully her, and she doesn’t respond well to that.” He paused and let his gaze drift to Mason. “Well, unless you’re Mason.”  
  
Mason’s lips quirked into a strange smile, one Felix had never seen on the broody vampire before. Before he could comment on it, the sound of a door opening came over the speaker and set Adam into motion.  
  
He quickly powered off the television and the receiver that allowed them to hear Dezh's conversation. Motioning for everyone to move to the wall that butted up to the kitchen, he said, “Felix, on the outside wall. Listen for them. Mason, pull the doors partially closed. We’ll stay hidden until they put the shifter on her bed.”  
  
Mason did as Adam said, then took the spot nearest the door. The team leader moved to stand beside him.  
  
Felix moved to the outside wall and leaned against it. Just before he caught the sound of the detective’s heartbeat, Mason waved a hand and gestured toward the hallway. A few brief moments later, the door to the apartment opened. The sound of four heartbeats carried to his ears, Dezh’s the only one he recognized. Hers was slow and steady, surprisingly calm considering what she’d done and was doing.  
  
“My room is through here,” she said, her voice no louder than normal. “You can lay her on the bed.”  
  
“Do you have visitors?” Burton asked.  
  
“I had a few people over earlier.” A long silence followed her words, broken only by a loud vibrating noise. “Is that your phone making that…” Silence followed her words. Then, “Fuck.”  
  
A loud thud, immediately followed by a crash, sent Mason out the door first. Adam was on his heels, but before the team leader could get out the door, there was a thunderous crack. The sound of glass breaking made Felix wince, as did a pained grunt from Dezh. The apartment was too small for all of them to rush out at once, so Felix had to wait for Nate to move before he could follow.  
  
By the time he made it to the living room doors, the short fight was over. Tiny lay on the floor at Mason’s feet, still as stone, with his left leg bent at an odd angle. Adam loomed over Burton and Nate had already made it into Dezh’s room to check on the still unconscious shapeshifter. His gaze moved to Dezh, who was half-lying against the refrigerator, her hand over her left shoulder. She looked a bit dazed, but before he took take more than a step toward her, Mason was already there. Kneeling beside her. Felix watched with a slight smile as the typically foul-tempered vampire gently put a hand on her neck and wiped away a tiny bit of blood from her lip with his thumb. “Hey, sweetheart, you all right?”  
  
Letting out a pained grunt, Dezh looked up at Mason. “You get the name of that truck?” she asked hoarsely, trying unsuccessfully to get up.  
  
Mason snorted. “You called him pencil-dick. You all right?”  
  
“I’m not splattered all over the ground at the bottom of a mountain, so I’m fine.” The two of them laughed, though Felix didn’t really understand the joke.  
  
“Your shoulder’s dislocated,” Mason said, putting an arm around her to get her on her feet.  
  
“It’s not completely out,” Dezh snorted. “But that’s what happens when a gigantic asshole throws you across a room by your arm.” Before anyone could offer help, she stumbled to the wall and slammed her shoulder into it.  
  
Had Mason not moved to catch her, she’d have fallen from the impact. He shook his head and frowned at her. “What the hell was that?”  
  
“My shoulder was dislocated,” she said, leaning against him. “So, I put it back.”  
  
Mason glared at her and opened his mouth, but before he could utter a word, Nate cleared his throat and said, “You should’ve let a doctor do that, Dezh. If you—”  
  
“You think that’s the first time I’ve dislocated my shoulder?” she asked, rolling her eyes. “I learned how to fix it myself a long time ago.”  
  
Nate shook his head. “You should to see a doctor, regardless.”  
  
“Nope.”  
  
“You realize I’m holding you up, right?” Mason snorted. He still didn’t let her go, though. Even more interesting, Dezh made no move to get away from him in an effort to prove him wrong. Instead, she just stood there, hands on his chest. Whether it was to steady herself or just to touch him, Felix had no clue—but he was willing to bet it was at least a little bit of the latter.  
  
Adam cleared his throat. “We need to get them out of here before they wake up and too many people start wandering the halls.”  
  
“Wait.” Dezh took a step and wobbled, but Mason’s hands shot out to her waist to steady her. “He had a device. A small thing.”  
  
Felix spotted something on the floor under the table, though it looked like a small cell phone with a nubby antenna. He leaned over and picked it up, then held it out to her. “Is this it?”  
  
Nodding, she took it from him and turned it around so its antenna pointed outward, then flipped a switch. It immediately started vibrating hard when she pointed it at Mason, who still had a firm hold on her. Turning it, she aimed it at herself and the vibrations decreased to almost nothing. “It’s like the thing Bentley told us about. To detect supernaturals.”  
  
“You think he’s a hunter?” Felix asked.  
  
Dezh shrugged. “He has their tools, and that’s not a good sign. Did you guys pat him down?” A smirk formed on her lips. “And check his purse?”  
  
“No,” Mason answered. When she started to move toward Tiny, Adam gave a nod to Mason, who gripped Dezh by the waist and moved her behind him. His hand shot out to keep her from moving back around him.  
  
Dezh growled. “Adam, be careful. If he has any…” She trailed off when Adam pulled a hypodermic needle attached to a syringe from Tiny’s jacket pocket. “Shit. Don’t touch it!”  
  
“There’s a cover over the needle. Nate, check Burton.” Adam grabbed Tiny’s bag and tossed it to Mason, who set it on the table.  
  
When Mason unzipped the bag, his expression tightened. With a low growl, he pulled out a coil of rope, two more syringes, a black hood, and a couple of strips of material. He shot a glare at Dezh. “If we hadn’t been here, this is what they had planned for you.”  
  
She shrugged, her expression defiant. “He had the thing to detect supernaturals. That could be Bane in the syringe.”  
  
“What the hell is Bane?” Mason snapped.  
  
“It’s what Bentley and I started calling the stuff they hit you with that night.” Wrinkling her nose, she added, “Well, I did. He picked it up. It’s bane for supernaturals.”  
  
Mason rolled his eyes. “More likely it’s something that would’ve kept your ass knocked out, so don’t go jabbing it into your arm to test it!”  
  
Felix narrowed his eyes at Mason and Dezh, then looked to Adam, who did the same. Why would Mason even tell her that?  
  
“I wasn’t gonna!” she growled. “But I bet it’s Bane!”  
  
Mason snorted. “You’re on, sweetheart. Just one more bet you’ll lose tonight.”  
  
“Who says you won the first one?” she responded with one of those haughty looks she affected that grated on all of their nerves. Mason’s, especially. “You don’t know—”  
  
“We need to get it to the lab and let them find out what it is,” Adam interrupted, his tone steely. He moved to the table and stuffed the syringe he’d found on Tiny into the bag, then put the rest of the items back inside as well. “Dezh, put the device in there, too, and bring the bag after you’ve changed clothes. There’s a team with a van outside, around the side of the building. We need to move now.” When she nodded, Adam gestured toward Dezh’s room. “Nate, take the shifter. I’ll take Clegg. Mason, take Burton.” He paused. “Felix, you stay with her. You two can meet us outside when you’re ready.”  
  
Nate moved to get the shifter, as Adam threw Tiny over his shoulder, but Mason remained in place, glaring at Dezh for a few seconds before shaking his head and turning to get Burton.  
  
Dezh’s eyes stayed on Mason until he disappeared through the doorway and pulled the door closed behind him. Then, she stared at the door. Felix grinned. “Did you get x-ray vision or something?”  
  
Her head swiveled slowly toward him, a sneer twisting her features. “What?”  
  
“Looked like you were trying to see Mason through the door.”  
  
Rolling her eyes, she tossed the device into the bag. When she turned away, she stumbled a bit. Felix caught her arm so she wouldn’t fall. “I’m fine,” she growled, heading into her room and forcefully closing the doors behind her.  
  
Felix chuckled, went to the fridge and grabbed himself another bottle of hard soda. There was no telling how long she’d take, so he figured he might as well enjoy himself in the meantime.  
  
  



	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the targets dealt with, Adam and Dezh bicker. Mason puts an end to it.

**_Chapter 15_**  
  
As the nondescript Agency van pulled away, Mason leaned against the brick wall and took out a cigarette. Force of habit made him put it between his lips and reach for his lighter. Yet, as he stared at the little orange flame, he realized he had no real desire to smoke. Shrugging, he tossed it into a nearby trash bin and shoved the lighter back into his pocket.  
  
Adam and Nate finally started walking toward him, their voices low as they neared. He could’ve listened, had he wanted, but he didn’t really care about their discussion. Besides, the infuriating buzzing noise from the flickering streetlight above seemed to be growing louder with each passing second, drowning out everything else.  
  
“This mission went surprisingly well.”   
  
Mason’s noncommittal grunt was clearly not the response the team leader wanted.   
  
“You disagree?”  
  
“We got what we wanted.”   
  
“Dezh did a good job,” Nate said, his lips pursing slightly, “but I dread to consider what would’ve happened if we hadn’t been here tonight.”  
  
Mason’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing. That damned buzzing light made him want to smash something.   
  
Adam eyed him with a frown, then shook his head. “Derik would have still told her how to disable the shifter.”  
  
“But if she’d taken them to her apartment…” Nate didn’t need to finish the thought. They all knew what would’ve happened. Whatever Clegg had in those syringes was, undoubtedly, meant to knock Dezh out so they could take her. That she’d bet otherwise was insane. “This is why we shouldn’t hide things from her, Adam. Keeping her in the dark puts her in more danger.”  
  
“We tell her as much as we can, Nate. Worrying about what might have happened serves no purpose. The important thing is that we succeeded and the detective is fine.” Adam sighed. “Mostly.”  
  
“We need to take her to the facility so a doctor can check her.”  
  
“Good luck with that,” Mason quipped, rolling his eyes. “She’s…” He trailed off, turning his head slightly to the left. He sensed her headed their way before she and Felix ever rounded the corner.   
  
She’d changed clothes yet again and, apparently, showered. Now, she wore a pair of loose-legged black shorts, a black V-neck shirt, and a pair of tight, heeled black boots that stopped mid-calf. Though it wasn’t as skimpy as what she’d worn in the cage, it made a damned appealing sight. Her damp hair hung loose, the night breeze blowing the waves softly around her face. Walking somewhat stiffly, she adjusted the small bag on her right shoulder while Felix carried her duffle bag and nattered on about some crap Mason didn’t care to hear.  
  
When the group was together again, Dezh curled her lip at Adam and Nate, then looked at him. “What’s their problem?”  
  
Mason shrugged.  
  
With a huff, she looked to Nate. “You have that worried mom look, and Adam looks like he just swallowed a bucket of rotten fruit. Did the shifter and her two goons get away or something?”  
  
Adam shook his head. “A team picked them up and they’re on their way to the facility. We all need to go there now, too.”   
  
Mason nearly groaned when her gaze narrowed and jaw tightened. The last thing he felt like hearing was another argument between the detective and the team leader. There were other, far more enjoyable things he had in mind for her.  
  
“No.” She held out the purse Clegg had been carrying. “Take this and I’ll email my report to Rebecca.”  
  
Sighing, Adam took the bag. “One of us will drive you to the facility in your car. And make sure you see a doctor.”  
  
“I don’t need to see a goddamned doctor,” she growled, her brow knitting into a scowl.  
  
“You’ve been hit in the head multiple times in the past few days.” Nate’s tone was mild, as usual. Mason rolled his eyes—he never learned. Gentleness was not the way to get Dezh to do anything. “You probably—”  
  
“I have a hard head.”  
  
“That’s what Mason said,” Felix told her with a grin.   
  
Mason smirked when she turned toward him. “You do.”  
  
“I don’t believe anyone here would debate that point,” Adam said dryly, “but obstinacy does not protect you from injury.”  
  
“I’m fine!”  
  
“I’ve heard that line before,” the team leader scoffed. “The night of the graveyard incident. When you led us to believe the doctors at the facility had given you the okay to leave, only to lose consciousness on the drive home. You could’ve killed yourself. Or someone else.”  
  
“I didn’t pass out.” She crossed her arms over her chest and sneered. “It was really dark and foggy and I don’t have bionic vampire eyes.”  
  
“You drove your car across a field and into a tree,” Felix snickered.   
  
Mason barked a laugh. “That piece of junk car of hers actually looked better _after_ she crashed it.” Of course, when Rebecca had learned what happened, she’d been none too happy, a fact which likely provoked the team leader’s persistence now.  
  
“You would’ve thought my insurance would’ve totaled it and given me money for a new one. Cheap bastards.”  
  
“Be that as it may,” the team leader said firmly, “you aren’t driving and you’re going to the facility to get checked.”  
  
“You wanna bet?” Dezh sneered.  
  
The argument continued and, despite Mason’s best efforts to ignore it, it began to grate even more than the buzzing streetlight. So, when both Adam and Nate opened their mouths to argue yet again, he growled, “Enough, already. I’ll drive her there.” Dezh opened her mouth, but quickly closed it when he spun and glared down at her. “Give me your keys.”  
  
At first, she merely glared back, her jaw set stubbornly. Deciding whether or not he was serious. He knew she wanted to argue—the woman could be a breath away from suffocating and she’d insist she needed no air—but she had to know how it would end. That knowledge brought a smirk to his lips. Still, when he held his hand out for her keys, she moved them behind her back and smirked. Silently daring him to do something about it.  
  
As if he’d hesitate.  
  
Snorting, he snaked an arm around her waist and jerked her against him, then reached around with the other to pluck the keys right out of her grip. Her heart pounded faster as soon as he touched her, not calming even after he released her. “Dammit, Mason, give ‘em back!”  
  
“No.” He barked a laugh at her angry growl.  
  
Adam cleared his throat, clearly fighting the urge to smile. “Meet us in the common room later.”  
  
Mason’s gaze stayed on Dezh, who watched with a curled lip as the rest of the team disappeared around the corner. Crossing her arms over her chest pulled her shirt down to expose more of her ample cleavage. He let his gaze settle there, perfectly content to enjoy the view. At least until, without warning, she spun on him. “Give me my keys.”  
  
Glaring at her, he shook his head. “I told Adam I’d drive you to the facility. What the hell’s—”  
  
“So tell him I ran off,” she snapped. “Tell him I was a pain in the ass and you couldn’t deal with me. Tell him whatever the hell you want to tell him, but I’m not going to the goddamned facility.”  
  
“What’s your problem?” He took a step closer and got the answer. Apparently, fighting had done nothing to calm her down after he’d gotten her all worked up. He didn’t bother trying to hide his smug smile. When she rolled her eyes and looked away, he ran his forefinger along her jawline and under her chin. It was enough to bring her gaze back to his.  
  
Her scowl was more amusing than it was threatening. “I don’t want to go there. Why the hell did you volunteer to do this, anyway?”  
  
He eyed her with a narrowed gaze. “It was the quickest way to shut you and Adam up.” He only let her utter a clipped squeak before continuing, “And we have to finish what we started earlier. I didn’t want to waste all night listening to you two argue.”  
  
Confusion flashed across her face and through her eyes. She opened her mouth, then immediately closed it so abruptly her teeth banged together. “Oh. I didn’t think you…” Rolling her eyes, she turned away and started down the dimly street.  
  
“I told you we’d finish our fun after we caught that shifter,” he said, falling into step beside her. “You didn’t think I meant it?” When she failed to answer in a reasonable amount of time, he stepped in front of her.   
  
Stopping just short of running into him, she looked up with a raised eyebrow. “I figured you changed your mind. Everyone said you don’t do repeats.”  
  
“Repeats?”  
  
With a grunt, she clarified, “Fuck ‘em once and on to the next.”  
  
Mason rolled his eyes, his thoughts drifting to the conversation they’d had at the facility over a week ago. “That’s what Adam said?”  
  
Another grunt. “He didn’t come right out and say it. Others were more explicit.” She rubbed the back of her neck and looked away. “That tall dark-haired scientist chick brought it up the day after she saw us in the lab with Bentley. Said you were out the door when you were done, and she didn’t hear from you again. She said that’s how you usually operate.”  
  
Mason’s jaw clenched, but she just kept talking.  
  
“Earlier this week, some agent cornered me in the training room. _Specifically_ , to talk about you.” Her lip curled up into a sneer. “Can’t remember what unit she’s in, but she looks like a fucking supermodel. Said you see someone you want to bang, chase them till you get in their pants, then set your sites on the next target. So you hardly ever go back for another round.”  
  
“Then what do you call what we did in that lab dork’s office? And tonight?”  
  
“I don’t know, Mason,” she snapped, “but you told me the same thing.”  
  
He glared at her. “Maybe Nate and Adam were right about you getting hit in the head one too many times.”  
  
“You said all you wanted was to get in my pants and that you only do no-strings. You got in my pants, so I figured you were done.”  
  
A low growl started in his throat. “That’s not what no-strings means, sweetheart.”    
  
“Well, it’s not like you came back for more,” she blurted out, wincing slightly then rolling her eyes. “I figured you moved on to whoever’s next.”  
  
He started to respond, but once her words settled over him, his mouth tilted into a smirk. “So your problem isn’t no-strings,” he said, closing the small gap between them, “but the fact that a week was too long for you to go without me fu—”  
  
“Bite me,” she growled.   
  
A deep laugh rumbled in his chest as she stomped past him and headed down the street toward the garage where she’d parked earlier. It didn’t take him long to catch up, getting so close he was practically on top of her as they walked. For half a block, the only sounds from her were the quickened beat of her heart and the clicking of her heels on the sidewalk. The lack of conversation did nothing to quench the fiery sparks between them, though, sparks so strong they made Mason’s skin tingle. Finally, as they neared the garage, he asked, “So last week was the first time you had sex in how many years?” The only answer he received was a low growl. “It was that asshole you took a knife for in college, right?”  
  
“We are _not_ talking about this.”   
  
“And you graduated what? Four years ago?”  
  
Her head spun toward him so forcefully that her hair slapped her on the cheek. “How the hell do you know that? You actually _listen_ when Felix and I talk?”  
  
He ignored her question. It wasn’t _his_ fault some of her and Felix’s incessant blather stuck in his head. “So, it’s been four years or more since you got laid and you were fine with that,” he concluded, running his tongue over his lips, “but now you can’t go a week without?”  
  
Dezh clenched her jaw and looked forward as she plodded down the street, her cheeks blooming with color. Even her left ear glowed crimson. “Mason—”  
  
“You know, sweetheart,” he interrupted, slipping an arm around her waist from behind and pulling her to a stop against him. A soft growl escaped her lips, followed by a moan when his hand slid over her stomach. She writhed against him, her anger crumbling to dust in an instant. When he leaned down to whisper in her ear, her head dropped back against his chest and tilted ever so slightly. An invitation he’d take her up on later. “If you wanted to have some fun, all you had to do was say so.”  
  
Drawing a ragged breath, she turned her head just enough to meet his gaze. It was the first time he noticed the flecks of gold in her green eyes, and how they glistened in the moonlight. Her tongue darted to one corner of her mouth, and she sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. “I didn’t think you wanted to.”  
  
He spun her around, smiling at her surprised gasp, then backed her up until she bumped into the outside wall of the parking garage. Looming over her so she had to crane her neck to look at him, he put his hands on the wall, on either side of her head. The concrete was cool, but her body burned like a bloody furnace. “Didn’t think I wanted to what?” he asked, his mouth hovering a hair’s breadth from hers.   
  
Eyes glazed with desire, she drew in a shaky breath and squirmed. “Do… anything.”  
  
One corner of his mouth curved up at that. He pressed his body against her, but still didn’t move his hands. “Anything, huh?” How could one human put out so much heat? If he caught fire, he wouldn’t be a damned bit surprised. “Like this?” Before she could do more than open her mouth, he kissed her hard, thrusting his tongue between her satiny lips. Tilting her head more, she deepened the kiss, her warm tongue caressing his. She started to put her hands on him, only to freeze before she touched him. She still wasn’t certain? Or had she suddenly become shy? The latter was too ridiculous to even consider.  
  
He broke the kiss and nipped her bottom lip. Her hot breath came in rapid spurts, causing her chest to heave. “Or this?” Gripping her hips, he jerked her against him. So she could feel how hard he already was for her. “Still think I don’t want to do… anything?”  
  
A small smile played on her lips, her green eyes sparkling with the flirtatiousness Mason was accustomed to seeing there. “I’m not sure,” she purred, sighing dramatically. “I might need a little more mmph—”  
  
Her words faded into a pleasured moan when he captured her mouth in a searing kiss. She gave as good as she got, pressing tighter against him and sliding her arms up his sides to hook them around his shoulders. Holding her was like holding a raging fire, swathing him in flame. Scorching his skin. And leaving him craving more.  
  
As if she’d read his mind, she moved her hands to his hips, trying futilely to pull him closer. He returned the favor, sliding one hand over her ass, then back up inside her shorts. He squeezed hard enough to make her whimper, but it just made her hotter. Her hands slipped up the back of his shirt, fingernails lightly scraping down his spine and causing his skin to erupt in goosebumps. Pushing her legs apart with one knee, he pressed his thigh against her, moaning into her mouth when she started grinding against his leg. He had no doubt she’d let him fuck her right there in the open, if he wanted. And he _did_ want it. Wanted her. Still, he ended the kiss and looked down at her. The way she gasped for air—not from being deprived of oxygen, but because she was just _that_ turned on—brought a smirk to his lips.   
  
“You get it now, sweetheart? Or do you need”—he dragged his teeth over his bottom lip and chuckled at her soft growl—“more?”  
  
For a moment, she merely looked at him, her eyes filled with hunger so strong he could taste it in the air. “More,” she answered, her voice low and sultry as she slipped a hand between his legs.   
  
His cock jumped at her touch and the unquenchable need to bury his dick inside of her surged. With a feral growl, he gripped her hair and pulled her head back to kiss her again, harder than before. His other hand moved from her ass to glide up her inner thigh. A soft whimper caught in her throat and her entire body trembled as his fingers slipped teasingly between her legs. Not even a second passed before she thrust against his hand and pushed the heel of her palm down the length of his cock.  
  
Tearing her mouth from his and reaching lower to cup and rub his balls, she moaned, “Mason, I need—”  
  
He silenced her with another kiss, not just to shut her up, but because he wanted to taste her again. It wasn’t like he needed her words, anyway—he knew _exactly_ what she needed. In one smooth motion, he slid his hand inside the leg of her shorts and pushed two fingers into her. Her pleasured moan, and the way her body pulled at him, nearly made him lose control.  
  
Catching her bottom lip between his teeth, he looked down at her as he thrust his fingers deeper. She bucked, but when she moved to kiss him again, he tightened his grip on her hair to still her. A high-pitched wail bubbled out of her when his thumb found her clit. He rubbed slowly, trying to ignore the fact that it throbbed in time with her quickened pulse. Her face was etched in ecstasy, her eyes fluttering closed then open again to look at him. She was so damned close already, but he wanted to make this last.   
  
No, not last. He wanted her to scream and shudder as he brought her over the edge. Then, he wanted to do it again and again, until she begged for mercy and finally collapsed into a sobbing heap against him.  
  
He hooked his fingers inside of her and kissed her to swallow her keening cry. Even muffled, the sound carried through the air. His fingers were soaked, and he knew she was more than ready for him, a fact made clearer when she slipped her hand down the front of his pants to stroke his dick. Growling, he pushed a third finger into her pussy as it spasmed hard.   
  
“Get a room!”  
  
The voice carried to the edge of Mason’s senses, distant and weak. Until a second voice joined the first. “Get your phone.” The words were slurred, followed immediately by laughing. “We should film this!”  
  
Growling, Mason tore his mouth from Dezh’s and turned his head. Two humans stood on the other side of the street, stumbling and gawking in their direction. “Goddammit,” he snarled, grinding his teeth and pulling his fingers free.  
  
Dezh let out a snarl of her own, pulling her hand out of his jeans and leaving his dick mourning her touch.   
  
“Don’t stop on our account!” the first idiot yelled.   
  
“If you want to eat them,” Dezh panted in a hoarse whisper, “I’ll help hide the bodies.”   
  
A laugh burst from his chest. “Tempting, but let’s take this somewhere else.” Before she could respond, he grabbed her wrist and yanked her along with him into the parking garage.  
  
“We can go to my place,” she offered as she hurried to keep up, making no effort to free herself from his grasp.   
  
Mason’s grip on her tightened and he closed his eyes for just a second. “We have to go to the facility first.”   
  
And, just like that, her mood shifted. Snatching her arm free, she growled. “If you wanna get out of it, fine, but don’t fucking—”  
  
With an uttered string of curses, he grabbed her arm again and stopped walking, dragging her to an abrupt stop. It shut her up long enough for him to take her hand and put it between his legs. “Does that feel like I want to get out of anything?” His dick felt like it was ready to burst out of his jeans to get to her, and his balls were beginning to ache like hell. A moan escaped him when she shook her head and rubbed the length of his erection. “The only thing I want to do right now is fuck you senseless.”   
  
The declaration made her smile, but she didn’t move her hand. In fact, she just stroked him harder.   
  
Growling, he grabbed her wrist. The last thing he needed was to lose it right then. “Remember what I promised you earlier?”   
  
She nodded, but said nothing.  
  
“I. Meant. Every. Word.” He watched as her chest heaved from her quickened breath, the way her eyes dilated as they met his. “The sooner we get to the facility, the sooner we can get to your place.” His jaw tightened when she licked her lips and looked at him with such raw desire, he nearly forgot the whole damned plan and fucked her in the middle of the garage. _Fuck it._ With a low growl, he gave her wrist a sharp tug, bringing her body crashing into his. “But before that, we’re gonna go to your car and finish this round before someone else interrupts us and we have to spend the rest of the night hiding bodies.” He only paused long enough for her to snicker. “Any objections?”  
  
“Nope.” Her lip curled into a sneer. “Other than the fact I parked on the other side of the garage.”  
  
“I can get us there fast, sweetheart.” As soon as she nodded, he grabbed her and flung her over his shoulder.   
  
Ignoring her squealed complaints, he sprinted through the parking lot to her car. And, even as fast as he was, it still felt too damned slow.  
  
                                                                *        *      *  
  
Yawning, Felix glanced at his phone to check the time. It had been almost two hours since they’d gotten to the facility and—big surprise—Mason and Dezh hadn’t show up yet. Granted the drive would take half an hour, even the way Mason drove, but if he had to bet, there was a more interesting reason for their delay.   
  
Rebecca had only arrived a short time ago, hoping to catch her daughter. Now, she and Nate were talking quietly on the other side of the common room, with Adam looming nearby. Their discussion didn’t concern him. He just wanted to get out of the facility and back to the house. Even if it was just a temporary place to stay while the Agency built them a more permanent home, it made the facility even less appealing than usual.  
  
He opened a game on his phone to entertain himself. How much time passed, he wasn’t certain, but he didn’t look up again until the two missing members of Unit Bravo finally strolled through the door. They smelled like sex again. Or still? Felix wasn’t sure, anymore.  
  
Rebecca moved toward the detective without pause, with Nate and Adam on her heels. “Are you okay? You—”  
  
“Back off,” Dezh snapped, pushing the other woman away.  
  
Nate cleared his throat, giving Rebecca a supportive look when she glanced at him. “Did you see a physician, Dezh?”  
  
“Yeah. I’m fine.”  
  
“Mason?” Adam asked, shaking his head at Dezh when she growled loudly at him.   
  
“She’s fine.” Mason shrugged, glancing down at the detective with a slight smirk. “Can’t drive for a couple of days—just in case—so I gotta drive her home.”  
  
Felix tried to hide an amused grin at that. “Oh no,” he said sarcastically, “poor you! I could always do it if you—”  
  
Surprisingly, or maybe not, it was Dezh who interrupted. “You are _not_ driving my car, Felix.”  
  
He almost laughed at her forcefulness, as well as the dirty look Mason shot him. He had a feeling the other vampire wouldn’t make it home until sometime tomorrow. Or the next day, given how the two of them seemed unable to keep their hands off each other.  
  
“Good.” Rebecca nodded her approval. “Before you leave, we need to discuss the fight club, though. You—”  
  
“Adam swore the Agency wouldn’t bother Frank or anyone there.” Dezh stood toe to toe with her mother, her fists clenched at her sides. “Don’t you dare interfere just because you don’t like me going there.”  
  
“That was not my intent, Nadezhda,” Rebecca said stiffly. “I’ve never interfered with the club before. I won’t start now.”   
  
Dezh’s jaw hung open, as did Felix’s, for that matter. “Wait. You _knew_?”  
  
Rebecca smiled. “Of course. When you refused to stop those street races in the city, even after you ended up in the hospital and totaled Mr. Peppers’ motorcycle again, I spoke with Shioda and asked him to find a safer way for you to vent your frustrations.” She paused, but Dezh merely stared at her. “I didn’t like it, and still don’t, but it’s less dangerous than street racing.”  
  
Felix stared at Dezh. Street racing? Motorcycles? Why had she never told him any of this! The way Mason was staring at her, it was obvious he hadn’t known either. Then again, talking wasn’t really Mason’s preferred activity with the detective.   
  
“Oh.” For a few moments Dezh continued staring at her mother as though she didn’t know her. “Then what were you going to say about fight club?”  
  
“Two things. I assume Mason informed you about Arantxa Febland and the three individuals you helped bring in tonight?”  
  
Mason and Dezh shared a somewhat amused look before she answered, “Uh, no. We didn’t… have an opportunity to discuss that.”   
  
Felix couldn’t stop the laughter that bubbled out of him, but tried to get it under control when all eyes in the room turned to him. The only one not glaring was Rebecca, and she just looked confused.  
  
“What about them?” Dezh asked, breaking the tense moment.   
  
He only half-listened as Rebecca and Adam explained the situation. He’d heard enough about it at the club, save for the part about the half-breed and her two friends already being on a flight to another facility. That was surprisingly quick, even for the Agency.   
  
“So, you’ve got Paula and her stooges now. What’s the problem?”  
  
Adam exchanged a look with Nate before answering, “Arantxa worries us, especially considering she’s the one who brought those three to the club. She came from Echo without the Agency’s knowledge, and we haven’t been able to find any information on her.”   
  
“More than that,” Nate told her with a worried frown, “the things Clegg had in that bag lead us to believe they intended to kidnap you.”   
  
“What was in the syringes?” Mason asked.   
  
Rebecca’s mouth tightened. “One contained Sufentanil, and the other two contained Methohexital.”  
  
Mason glared down at the detective, who let out a groan. “I told you. That’s two I won tonight.” Felix eyed his friend—he’d heard him bet Dezh about the syringes, but what was the other?  
  
With a loud sigh, Dezh turned her gaze to her mother. “I can ask Frank about Arantxa. See if he knows any more than Derik does.”  
  
Rebecca nodded. “It’s best if you do it in person, and away from the club. You never know where she has eyes and ears.”   
  
“Agreed.”   
  
“May we go with you?” Nate asked, tilting his head at her. “I’d like to thank him for keeping our presence quiet.”   
  
Dezh scowled at Nate for a moment, then shrugged. “That’s fine. I’ll get him to meet us tomorrow before patrol.”  
  
“Good,” Rebecca said, clearing her throat. “Now that that’s settled, we can discuss my second request. In the future, when you go to the club, you should take at least one of the team with you.”  
  
Felix winced, knowing what was coming even before Dezh snapped, “It’s a fight club, Rebecca, not kindergarten. I’m not taking a damned babysitter with me. Besides, anyone who enters the fight room has to _fight_.” She snorted. “Mason would one-punch anyone he fought. No one would even _want_ to fight Adam—he looks like a goddamned battering ram. Nate’s too nice to fight and Felix”—she glanced over at him and grinned—“would make a damned joke of it. So, no.”  
  
“There are guards in the fight room,” Adam said, “and one of us could work as one on the nights you fight.”   
  
“Like that wouldn’t be obvious?” Dezh rubbed her head. “There are already supernaturals there, if I needed help. Derik’s half bear or whatever. Nikolai’s a bear. Jesse’s a vampire. I’m sure there are others Derik didn’t have time to tell me about.”  
  
“You trust them watching your back as much as you trust us?” Mason looked down at her with a raised brow.   
  
“No, but…” Trailing off, she stared up at Mason—and he at her—for a few long moments before she finally let out a long breath and swiveled her head toward Rebecca. “I’ll think about it and get back to you.”  
  
Rebecca nodded, glancing at Mason, then at Dezh. Probably wondering what the hell had just happened. Felix shared the sentiment. “Thank you.”  
  
Dezh just grunted. “I’ll let you guys know where Frank wants to meet tomorrow. I’m sure he’ll bring Jesse.” Frowning, she looked at Adam. “Don’t pressure them about anything. Just be cool. They’re good guys.” Her gaze drifted up to Mason. “Ready?”  
  
A smirk started to form on Mason’s lips, but he gave a small nod. The two of them hauled ass out the door without another word. Unable to hold it back, Felix snorted a laugh and attempted to affect an innocent expression when the others glared at him.  
  
Somehow, he doubted it worked, but he was too amused to care.   
  



	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the end of patrol, Adam gets a disturbing phone call from Rebecca, one that upsets Dezh even more than it upsets UB. When she goes to blow off some steam, she runs into someone unexpected.

**_Chapter 16_**  
  
Flicking his lighter open and closed, Mason walked silently at Dezh’s side as Nate and Felix told her about one of their more boring assignments. He tried to ignore it, though every time she laughed, he found his gaze drifting to her.  
  
On the other end of the line they formed, Adam stayed silent, looking around the area for any possible threats. There were none, and hadn’t been for the last several nights. More than a week had passed since they caught the half-breed and her friends, and the only real trouble they’d seen was from a newly turned teenaged vampire who’d tried to bite Dezh. She’d already socked the kid in the throat by the time anyone else made it to her. He rolled his eyes—whoever turned that idiot kid needed to be beaten senseless.  
  
A chill went up his spine when a sudden gust of wind blew past them. Shivering, he pulled his jacket tighter around him. Given the time of year, it was a cool night. And bright thanks to the full moon overhead. How long that would last was anyone’s guess, considering the black clouds gathering in the distance.  
  
Mason’s attention was drawn to Dezh again as she snickered at whatever Felix had said, then to Adam when the team leader’s phone started buzzing. She tensed and let out a long breath as he walked away. “We should wait for him.”  
  
Nate smiled. “All right, we can wait for him. I’m sure he won’t be long.”  
  
“In the meantime,” Felix told her with a grin, “I can finish telling you about that mission.”  
  
The young vampire started talking again, but Mason’s eyes stayed on the detective. Her attention never left the alleyway Adam had entered and, when Felix took a step and blocked her view, she scooted around him. Mason snorted.  
  
“Are you trying to” —Felix paused, eyes narrowing— “Guard him?” He barked a laugh at the glare Dezh shot him. “You are.”  
  
“Shut up, Felix,” she growled.  
  
Nate put a hand on her arm. “Dezh, Adam is fine. We’re all right here. You shouldn’t worry so much.”  
  
Scoffing, the detective turned her glare on Nate, who just smiled at her warmly. His mild expression caused hers to sour even more. “I’m not worried.”  
  
Mason eyed her with a narrowed gaze. She wasn’t lying—she actually believed what she said—but he could smell her fear. She was scared to death something would happen to Adam. To _all_ of them. And she didn’t even realize it. So why the hell did _he_ pick up on it?  
  
Silence fell between them as they waited. Dezh scanned the surrounding area constantly, not relaxing until the team leader finally started toward them again. He looked even more wound up than usual.  
  
“What’s wrong?”  
  
Adam drew in a deep breath and looked at Nate before turning his attention to Dezh and her question. “That was Rebecca. She said two agents were attacked in the city tonight. One of them was hit with… Bane.” Mason rolled his eyes, as did Adam, but the name seemed to have stuck, for whatever reason.  
  
Frowning, Dezh took a step forward. “Are they okay?”  
  
“The one hit with the drug didn’t survive.”  
  
“Who was it?” Nate asked worriedly.  
  
“Iuru.”  
  
“Is Smarr all right?”  
  
Adam nodded. “She grabbed Iuru and ran as soon as she realized what had happened. By the time she got her to the facility, it was too late.” Letting out a long breath, his mouth tightened. “Smarr said she sensed nothing at all until it was too late.”  
  
“Did she see who attacked her?” Though her expression remained even, Dezh’s voice sounded strained.  
  
“She failed to get a good look at them,” Adam answered, “but she did say the group consisted of four humans. And, she believes, a demon. She escaped too quickly to be certain.”  
  
Dezh growled, “Did the Agency send someone to the scene?”  
  
“They did, but could determine nothing. There were no traces of anyone having been there, save for Iuru’s blood. No lingering scents.” Pausing, he let out a long breath. “Nothing.”  
  
Mason felt her gaze on him, but she didn’t speak until he looked down at her. “They’ve found some way to hide themselves. That’s how they got you that night.”  
  
He nodded, though it made little sense. Unless the demon with them somehow helped hide their presence. But why would a demon hunt supernaturals? With humans, nonetheless.  
  
“Adam, we need to—”  
  
“You aren’t patrolling alone,” the team leader interrupted calmly.  
  
“But what if…” She trailed off, her heart hammering fast. Swallowing hard, she tried again. “It worked fine with me doing it alone. And if someone shoots any of you with that shit—”  
  
“You can save us, Dezh,” Felix interrupted with a grin. “You have plenty of blood.”  
  
Mason rolled his eyes, but Dezh glared at the young vampire and snapped, “That’d be a lot funnier if Adam hadn’t just told us one of your coworkers was fucking murdered tonight.” Throwing her hands in the air, she huffed. “Someone _died_ , Felix. A supernatural—probably some immortal godlike creature that can rip people’s heads off with her fingernails or something—and she died from shit a bloody _human_ shot at her!”  
  
Though Nate and Adam frowned at her ranting, Mason barked a laugh. He laughed again when she spun on him with a death glare. “So what’s your plan? We hide in a bakery from now on while you take on the world?”  
  
Crossing her arms over her chest, she rolled her eyes and looked away. “Just until we catch whoever’s doing this.”  
  
Adam sighed. “We can vote on it, if you wish.”  
  
Though she snorted at that, a wave of emotion came off of her that Mason couldn’t quite place. “Right. What’s the goddamned point? It’s already three against one.”  
  
“I agree with Adam, too.” Nate’s tone was even milder than usual. “But we aren’t against you, Dezh. It’s safer for all of us with the team together.”  
  
“Really? I’m the only one of us who won’t fucking _die_ if I get hit with Bane.”  
  
“There are still threats to you. The other night proved that.”  
  
“He was a fucking kid, Adam. And a stupid one, at that. The biggest threat he posed was to himself!”  
  
Mason shot her a glare. “Did you forget about the two goons and that shapeshifter—”  
  
“Half-breed.” Felix shrugged when Mason glared at him, too.  
  
“Whatever,” Mason growled. “If we hadn’t been there, they would’ve taken you.”  
  
Before she could do more than open her mouth, the team leader held up a hand. “We’ll continue patrolling together,” he said gently. _Gently_. “All five of us, until those responsible are caught.”  
  
Every word Adam spoke caused the tension within Dezh to visibly build. Mason wasn’t certain how much more it would take before she snapped.  
  
“Whatever.” Felix reached out to put a hand on her shoulder, but she jerked away as though she’d been burned. And pointedly avoided looking at any of them. “Nate,” she choked out, “text me when you all get back.”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
Without another word, she spun on her heel and stormed to her car. She got into the piece of crap so fast Mason almost wondered if she’d injected herself with Bane. She never even looked their direction as she sped away, tires squealing on the dry pavement as she careened around a corner and disappeared from sight.  
  
“That could’ve gone better,” Adam said dryly.  
  
“She’s scared, Adam.”  
  
Felix glanced at Nate and shook his head. “It’s more than that. I mean, yeah she’s worried to death about us, but I think we hurt her.” Before Mason could do more than sneer, he continued, “We expect her to let us protect her from stuff that can kill her, stuff she can’t deal with as well as we can. But the first time something comes along she can protect _us_ from, what do we do? We laugh it off and keep going.”  
  
“You were against her patrolling alone, too,” Mason growled.  
  
“Because sitting in that bakery is _so_ boring. But she probably figures we think she’s incompetent, and don’t trust her enough to watch our backs.” No one said a word to that, even Nate. “I know one thing. That beast of hers was about to bust out of its cage.”  
  
“Well, the fight club isn’t open tonight, so that’s one possibility for self-destruction off her list.”  
  
Mason turned his gaze to the team leader. “How do you know that?”  
  
“After the incident with the shapeshifter,” Nate explained, “and after we all met with Frank and Jesse, Adam and I talked to Frank alone. He agreed to let us know which nights there’ll be fights.”  
  
“And if she shows up. She never did get back to Rebecca about taking one of us with her there.”  
  
Mason stared at Adam for a moment. “She’ll agree to it. But if she finds out you went behind her back, she’d set herself on fire before took either one of you with her to the club.”  
  
Though Nate turned to meet Adam’s gaze, the two said nothing for a few moments. Finally, the taller vampire let out a soft breath. “Frank won’t tell her. But why do you think she’ll do it?”  
  
“Yeah,” Felix prodded with an amused smirk, “do you know something we don’t?”  
  
Rolling his eyes, Mason grunted. “I just know.” Just like he knew, without a doubt, that she’d do something stupid if someone didn’t get to her soon. His lips curled into a smirk—or maybe she’d take him up on his offer to give her a better way to blow off some steam.  
  
                                                                                *  
  
Dezh ran.  
  
And it sucked. Running was her least favorite physical activity. Nothing about it appealed to her. Unless she was chasing someone or something, anyway. Then, it was fine. But wasn’t that the purpose of long-range weapons? Knock your targets down from afar, so you didn’t _have_ to chase them?  
  
It was just so damned boring. Worse, it was doing nothing to quell that gnawing sensation she’d had since she left the team earlier. She wanted to break things. _Any_ thing. Or fight. Or smash her fist through a wall. And that urge had grown stronger with each passing second. So, as soon as Nate had texted her to let her know they made it home safely, she had rushed out the door.  
  
What the hell was wrong with them? There were maniacs on the loose, hunting supernaturals and what did Unit Bravo do? They ran around like a bunch of macho idiots who thought they were bulletproof. Bane-proof. Whatever. Were they too stupid to see the danger? Or were they just convinced they were invincible?  
  
Her jaw tightened and she ran faster as an image of Mason flashed through her mind’s eye. Of him lying in that alleyway, bleeding. Unconscious. A wave of nausea hit her like a ton of bricks, causing bile to rise in her throat. Almost a month had passed, but the memory was etched in her mind. And wouldn’t go the fuck away. Learning about the supernaturals that had been hit tonight just brought it back stronger than ever. Which was probably why running just wasn’t enough. It grated that the fight club wasn’t open tonight. And that her car sucked—driving in that hunk of junk at top speed was as lacking as running. What did that leave her?  
  
Swallowing the burning sensation that had eked its way up her esophagus, she stopped and looked toward the wooded area across the street. Then, up at the full moon, now partially hidden behind a thick mass of clouds. The gentle night breeze had shifted into periodic gusts of wind, a sure sign a storm was brewing. That was as much thought as she gave it before jogging across the street and into the dense forest.  
  
Slivers of moonlight cut through the trees swaying above, giving just enough light so Dezh could find her way. She wasn’t even sure where she was going but, somehow, being in the woods made her feel a tiny bit better. Not bothering to stay on the worn path most Wayhaven residents used on their walks through the town’s most beautiful area, she stomped through a pile of pine straw, broken branches, and brush to make her way deeper into the darkness. It was only then she began to marginally relax.  
  
After a while, she glanced up through the trees at the moon to determine which direction she was heading. Between the rustling pine leaves overhead and the thickening cloud cover, she could barely catch a hint of the silvery orb. Considering how long she’d been walking, she’d probably been going in circles. Now, she was facing toward the docks. Well… or the woods on the southeast side of town. Or southwest?  
  
Okay, so she was lost. The thought caused her no alarm and, instead, brought a slight smile to her lips. Lost in the woods in the middle of the night. It wasn’t fight club, but it worked. And the low rumble of distant thunder was icing on the proverbial cake.  
  
Sniffing, she looked to her right when she heard the distinct high-pitched howl of a fox in the distance. _Damn it_. If she’d brought a flashlight, maybe she could spot it. Unless one walked up and jumped on her, she wouldn’t catch a glimpse of it. She couldn’t see much of anything clearly, just a bunch of black blobs that were trees. Some smaller black blobs. With a shrug, she trudged forward and felt something near her feet shift. A snake? A rat? She leaned over to get a look but the forest floor was too dark to identify anything, so she kept walking.  
  
A few minutes later, she tripped over what she believed to be a huge branch and barely managed to catch herself on the thick, knobby trunk of a tree. A gust of air shot over her, making her skin chill. She stopped. Though her eyes had somewhat adjusted to the ever-growing darkness, she still couldn’t see much past arm’s length. Another flurry of motion came from nowhere, leaving a faint yet familiar scent lingering in her midst. Sandalwood and… _It couldn’t be_.  
  
The rasp of a lighter confirmed her suspicion. Slowly, she turned. Sure enough, there stood Mason, his wolfish features cast in the dim light of the lighter he held. As soon as he caught her eye, he flicked the thing closed, killing the small orange flame.  
  
“What the hell are you doing running around the forest in the middle of the night?” he growled, before she could do more than open her mouth. He closed the distance between them in a blink, towering over her like one of the forest pines. At least with him so close, she could see his face. “Have you lost your bloody mind?”  
  
Anger surged within her, anger and something else she had neither the time nor the desire to identify. “What the hell am _I_ doing out here? Are you insane? Did you forget about the agent that was bloody well murdered earlier? One of those assholes could’ve been out here and fucking shot you, Mason!”  
  
Barking a humorless laugh, he snapped, “And what about you? Out here. Dressed like…” Leaning away a bit, he eyed her. “ _That_.” She felt, more than saw, his eyes skimming her body and leaving a trail of fire in their wake—past her face, over her breasts, down her stomach to the skimpy jogging shorts she wore. Suddenly, she was very aware of just how little clothing she had on. “Where’s your blade?”  
  
The question caught her off guard, and made her blurt out, “I forgot it.”  
  
“Your phone?” When she shook her head, he snorted. “So you’re out here alone, with no phone and no weapon. No light, so you can’t see shit. And your scent’s a goddamned magnet for supernaturals.”  
  
“I couldn’t sleep.” Granted, she hadn’t tried, but that was hardly the point.  
  
“So you go trouncing around in the forest well after midnight, half naked?”  
  
“Apparently,” she snapped. What the hell did _he_ care? And how had he found her, anyway? Though she wanted answers to both of those questions, there was something more important at stake. “You need to get out of here. If someone sneaks up—”  
  
“Enough,” he interrupted. “We’re going back to your place. If I left you out here alone, I wouldn’t have to worry about Bane—the rest of the team would kill me first!”  
  
Dezh rolled her eyes and huffed. The argument that started on her lips died much too quickly. That seemed to happen more and more often with him, a fact that should’ve disturbed her. “Fine.” She only made it a short distance before Mason’s voice stopped her.  
  
“Where the hell are you going?”  
  
“Home?” She hadn’t meant for it to sound like a question.  
  
He laughed loudly, the rumbling sound filling the air around them. “You’re going the wrong way.” His laughter intensified when she grunted at him. “You’re lucky I found you, sweetheart, or you’d have been lost out here all night.”  
  
She shot a glare in his general direction and started walking toward him. “I’d have eventually gotten home. I always have before.”  
  
“How often do you do this crap?”  
  
Which crap? “Wander around the forest at night?”  
  
“Yeah,” he answered, stepping in front of her to block her progress. “And fight club. And whatever other crazy shit you do.” He snorted. “When the hell do you actually stay home for the night?”  
  
Her gaze drifted to his and she froze, if only for a moment. The sky had cleared somewhat, letting the moonlight fall over Mason’s face and making eyes sparkle like two lightning-streaked clouds. How had she never noticed the hint of blue in them before? A weird hitch caught in her chest and left her unable to breathe for a moment.  
  
Clearing her throat, Dezh gave herself a mental shake. “Before I met you guys, I pretty much never stayed home at night, except if I was injured or sick or something. Unless I’m completely exhausted, I can’t sleep. It’s always been that way. Even when I was a kid, I snuck out almost every night. Since you guys…” She let out a long breath. “I don’t do this if Felix is over, or if I actually got to fight something on patrol. Or when we’ve just…” The corners of her mouth crept upwards.  
  
Mason finished the thought for her, a smirk settling on his lips. “Had some fun?”  
  
“I was gonna say boned,” she told him dryly. “But that works, too.” He barked a laugh at that, the sound making her break into a wide smile. She liked making him laugh—when he wasn’t making fun of her, anyway. Maybe sometimes then, too, not that she’d ever tell him. “I even did it a couple of times when you guys were staying with me that week.”  
  
“Bullshit.”  
  
She chuckled at his disbelief. “Yep. One night, I got a call about work.” Her upper lip curled into a brief sneer when she remembered Bobby bugging her office, but she shook it off. “I snuck out the fire escape to deal with it. When I realized you guys hadn’t noticed, I did it again. Just didn’t go to the club because I figured you’d all have had questions if I looked beaten up for no apparent reason.”  
  
“Or if Murphy had gotten you,” he growled.  
  
“Well, he didn’t, so it’s a moot point.” Thunder shook the ground beneath them just as lightning flashed across the sky. As much as she hated it, she had to ask, “So which way is—”  
  
“I’ve got better ways of exhausting you, sweetheart,” he interrupted, taking a step closer. What little space remained between them was suddenly charged with electricity. “Far less dangerous than cage fighting or running around the forest half-dressed in the middle of the night.”  
  
_Less_ dangerous? Running naked through a men’s locker room full of escaped convicts who hadn’t gotten laid in a decade was less dangerous than being around Mason felt, at times. And far less exciting.  
  
“That’s why I told you to let me know if you needed to blow off steam.”  
  
Dezh looked up at him through her lashes. “You were over the other night, so I figured you wouldn’t want to.”  
  
“You think I can’t handle it that often?”  
  
The defensiveness in his tone made her crane her neck to look up at him. So his kryptonite was people thinking he couldn’t do something? Good to know. “Unless you plan on coming over three or four times a week—more if Felix gets bored with drinking and movie marathons—then you really shouldn’t tell me to let you know every time I want to blow off steam.”  
  
He shrugged. “If I get tired of it, I’ll just say no.”  
  
For a few moments, she said nothing. It was odd, she had no coherent thoughts on the matter, but she felt… weird. Agitated. “No need to trouble yourself,” she said flatly. “I’ve done this shit for years.” She spun to leave, but only made it two steps before he jerked her back to him. A bloody volcano erupted inside of her when he moved closer, backing her into a tree. Drawing in a sharp breath, she moved her hands to his chest and hummed softly when she felt the taut muscles dance beneath her fingers.  
  
“Call me next time you can’t sleep, and I bet when I’m done with you, you’ll be so exhausted you’ll sleep _two_ nights in a row with no problem.” Before she could do more than open her mouth to speak, he put a finger over her lips. A soft growl rumbled in his chest when she caught that finger between her teeth and ran her tongue over the tip. Holding her gaze, he tugged it free and slid it down her chin. Her neck. Her chest. His touch was as light as a breeze, and made her want more. A smirk settled on his lips when his finger dipped into the valley between her breasts and she arched toward him. “But, if I lose, I get to try again.”  
  
It took effort to force her mind on anything but his touch, but she managed to narrow her eyes at him. “If you win, it could be a fluke.”  
  
“Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart,” he told her with a lopsided smirk. “But we can make it an ongoing bet.” Tilting his head and looking down at her, he slid his hands over her body to her hips and pressed against her. Desire spread like wildfire, making her pulse quicken and her body grow uncomfortably hot. A soft moan started in her chest and whatever they were talking about disappeared in a muddled haze when his grip on her tightened. Scraping his stubbled cheek against her temple, he whispered, “I’ve got no problem racking up more wins.”  
  
_What_? It took her a few moments to remember his idea for a bet. And to breathe. Thinking was damned near impossible with him so close, touching her. With his hot breath tickling her ear and making her shiver. She swept her tongue over her lips when he moved one hand, his fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of her neck. How could such simple touches leave her head spinning? Maybe he was right—maybe she _was_ insatiable, because she couldn’t get enough of him. “I…” Her head dropped to one side and she moaned again when his lips left a hot trail down her neck. Teeth scraped over the delicate skin just above her shoulder, and she slipped her arms up around his neck to pull him closer. To get him to do it again, harder.  
  
He moved away then, chuckling at the way an unbidden whine of objection started in the back of her throat. Was he trying to tease her to death? It sure as hell seemed that way when he suddenly moved his mouth close to hers, only to pull back slightly when she tried to kiss him. “Deal?”  
  
There was no hesitation when she responded, “Deal.”  
  
It occurred to her, as the word fell her lips, that she’d have happily agreed to crawl on her hands and knees all the way through hell and back for his touch. That should’ve sent her running or, at the very least, disturbed her, but as soon as she felt his mouth on hers, she realized it didn’t bother her one damned bit.  
  



	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the facility, Dezh gets some help from Bentley. Knowing that Felix is waiting for her, she hurries to meet him, but finds he's not alone.

**_Chapter 17_**  
  
“How do you feel?”  
  
As she packed the last hermetically-sealed bottle into the box, Dezh glanced up at Bentley and shrugged. “I’m fine.”  
  
“You look pale.” The man paused, then quickly added, “Paler than usual, I mean. Are you certain this has not affected you?”  
  
With a sigh, she turned toward him. She’d been around him enough to know when he was angling for something. “If there’s something you want, just say so. I thought we were past this beating around the bush bullshit.”  
  
“I…” He trailed off and let out a nervous laugh. “May I take a couple of vials of blood for myself for more testing? If you feel too weak—”  
  
“I’m fine,” she interrupted, cutting him off before he could start babbling. “The Bane’s wearing off, but a couple of vials won’t make a difference.”  
  
Tilting his head at her, Bentley frowned. He had that look again, like she was some sort of specimen under his microscope. “You can feel the effects fade?”  
  
She nodded. “I couldn’t, at first. But after the second dose—and after you took more blood—I could tell my body was metabolizing it quickly. Little changes in how I felt. Then, big ones. It’s the same this time. Easier to pick up on, too.”  
  
“Interesting.” When she held her arm out, he jabbed the needle into her flesh. The man was far from gentle, not that she cared one way or the other—being used as a lab rat never sat well with her, but as long as she got something out of the arrangement, she’d tolerate it. “You should probably take it easy the rest of the night. I wish I could give you another dose of Bane, but I’m dreadfully low on ingredients.”  
  
Dezh said nothing, merely stood still and watched as the tube filled with her blood and he set it aside to get another. “Thanks for doing this, Bentley.”  
  
“You help me, I help you,” he told her with a small smile. “We make a good team. I just wish I could find a way to make the Bane last longer in your system. Better yet, if I could make it permanent…” Trailing off, he turned away to fiddle with the vials of blood. He did that a lot. As brilliant as the man was, he was the epitome of an absent-minded scientist.  
  
When she tired of waiting for him to continue, she prompted, “You’re trying to figure out how to make the effects permanent?”  
  
“Pardon?” He turned back toward her, his boyish features twisted in confusion. After a moment, he waved a finger at her. “Oh, yes. You seem so determined to be of use to your team, I thought I could help. I’ve been tinkering with the mixture, but it’s very difficult without the original formula.”  
  
It made sense. Reverse engineering anything—especially when the original ingredients were unknown—was a pain in the ass. No matter how close the result came to the original, there was always a missing piece. That extra little something, be it procedure or ingredient, that made all the difference. “Did you examine Iuru after her partner brought her in?”  
  
“I did.” He ran a hand over his closely cropped hair. “I was in charge of her autopsy yesterday. Honestly, I could determine little. The version of Bane the hunters use reacts differently with supernatural blood than my mimic formula. The overall results are identical, so both will kill supernaturals in a short time, but the original seems to permanently change their blood and DNA structure rather than simply poisoning them. I have yet to determine—”  
  
Dezh’s gaze narrowed and she held up one hand to stop him. “Wait. What do you mean?”  
  
“Well…” Wringing his hands together, Bentley fell silent. At first, she’d believed the hand-wringing to be a sign of nervousness. Or, at the very least, discomfort. But he did it any time he got lost in thought. Then, came the pacing. And an answer, of a sort. “From what I could determine, both from the agent’s corpse and what Smarr was able to share, the change began as soon as the drug entered her bloodstream. I can’t be certain if the version of Bane the hunters use caused the change directly, or if the change occurred when the agent’s natural healing responses attempted to counter the effects of the poison. Either way, her DNA structure changed to the point where her body rapidly began to fail.” He sniffed. “Ingenious, really. To create a drug that spreads deadly disease through the host like a virus, overriding any supernatural healing abilities and…”  
  
Clenching her teeth, Dezh rubbed her temples as he blathered on about how incredible it was that someone had invented Bane. She didn’t have time for this shit. “Bentley.” He seemed not to hear her, so she tried again. “ _Bentley_!”  
  
He froze in his tracks, turning to her with wide eyes. “Oh dear, I’ve gotten off track again.”  
  
“Yep,” she responded dryly. “Look, your version of Bane will kill supernaturals, right?” She waited for his nod. “So if yours will, and the version the hunters use will, how do you know they’re different?”  
  
“Because mine is poison to supernaturals, much like DMB, only much more deadly and effective. Their version, as I said, either directly altered the agent’s DNA once it spread through her bloodstream or it provoked an internal response that triggered the change in her DNA structure.” He paused briefly. “Either way, her DNA before being hit with Bane was notably different than after. The same is true for her blood.”  
  
She glared at him. _Bullshit_. “Bullshit. It’s not possible for anything to alter DNA that fast. Lentiviruses can do what you suggest, but it’s a slow process. It takes—”  
  
“In general, you are correct,” he interrupted. “For example, what Murphy did to you permanently altered your blood, but did nothing to your basic DNA structure and—”  
  
“Focus,” she growled, not noticing her fists were clenched until she felt her nails biting into her palms. She let out a long breath and forced herself to relax. “How is it possible for their version of Bane to alter anyone’s DNA that fast?”  
  
“Magic, I’m almost certain. Granted, all I have to work from is the agent’s corpse at this point. The only other instance of a supernatural being injected with this same type of Bane is Agent Mason. I’m curious as to whether the drug had any permanent effects on him. That he survived just by drinking blood—”  
  
“He’s stronger than most vampires,” she interrupted, hoping Bentley and his superiors wouldn’t question that too much. After all, Mason had suffered no ill effects from that night. And no doubt he’d blame her if he had to go through a bunch of lab tests. “So you think their version of Bane would have some kind of permanent effect on me, too?”  
  
“I am certain the effects would last longer than my version, at the very least. It would take a great deal more to give you that kind of supernatural power permanently, though. Knowing what magic was used to create it is the key.” He eyed her sideways. “If I could get my hands on a full dose of theirs, it would help a great deal.”  
  
“If I can get it for you, I will.” She glanced at the wall clock and grimaced, then grabbed the box of bottles. “I need to get going. Thanks again, Bentley.”  
  
“Of course. I forgot to tell you; I am nearly done with the pheromone solution. If you still want it, that is.”  
  
Though she attempted to appear nonchalant, she had a sinking feeling she failed. “I still want it.” How could she _not_ want it? Especially now. “I thought you said you couldn’t make it strong enough to cover the scent of my blood or whatever.”  
  
A slow grin came to his face, making him look even younger than his years. “That was my mistake. Trying to cover it, I mean. Instead, I am merely enhancing it. Much easier to do. It should be ready soon. A couple of weeks, at most.” He waved her away. “I apologize for keeping you. I will call when it’s finished. Or if I need your assistance.”  
  
Dezh rolled her eyes when the man turned away, all but dismissing her. He was already onto something else, forgetting about her presence as she pulled his door closed behind her.  
  
Several sets of eyes settled on her as she traipsed through the main lab, but she pretended not to notice. As soon as she was in the main hallway, Dezh walked faster. Her gaze drifted to the box she carried in her left arm and she sighed softly. It didn’t seem like enough, but she supposed it would have to do until Bentley could make more Bane. How he explained going through supplies so quickly, she wasn’t certain. He avoided questions about such things, which made her wonder if he had some friends higher up in the Agency. How else could he have been given an office and a private lab so soon after being hired? Sure, he was brilliant, but the Agency didn’t seem to make a habit of hiring people who were less than stellar in their field.  
  
Lost in thought, she barely noticed she’d made it to Felix’s room until she found herself at the slightly ajar door. She bumped it open with her elbow and glanced down at the box. “I got eight whole pints and—” She froze in her tracks when she looked up and saw Mason standing a few feet from the door, that storm-gray gaze narrowing when it fell on her. _Fuck_. “Mason, I thought you were, uh…” With Nate and Adam? Sitting around looking hot? Anywhere but here? Busy? “Busy.”  
  
“He ran into someone in the halls who told him you were here with me.”  
  
Looking to Felix, Dezh’s nose wrinkled in disbelief. Who told him that? Why the hell would anyone even _bother_ telling him that? Her gaze darted to Mason, who glared at her with a cocked eyebrow. “Why would—”  
  
“Eight pints of what?” he interrupted. When she failed to answer—instead, looking down at the box and up at him with a grimace as she struggled to find a way to change the subject—he flashed to the door and flipped up the flap before she could snatch it out of his reach. “What the hell?” He leaned closer and sniffed her, then growled, “You took Bane.”  
  
She groaned inwardly. At least, she _hoped_ she hadn’t done it aloud.  
  
“Is that blood yours?”  
  
He couldn’t possibly know that. Could he? Could vampires smell what was in a sealed container? “Can’t you just let it drop?”  
  
The foul-tempered vampire snorted and shook his head. “Tell me what you two are up to. And why you’re carrying around eight bottles of blood.”  
  
Grimacing, she chewed her bottom lip. Why did he have to be so damned stubborn? Of course, there was more than one way out of this nightmare. Maybe. Two steps backward and she’d be out the door. But the damned Bane was almost completely out of her system, so he’d be able to catch her easily. Probably. If he wanted to, anyway.  
  
“Don’t even think about it.”  
  
Dezh blinked. “How do you…?” _Shit_. Vampires _were_ psychic. They had to be.  
  
“I need some popcorn,” Felix chuckled, laughing harder when she glared at him. “You may as well tell him. You already have that look you get before you do whatever he wants.”  
  
“ _What_?” she snapped. What the hell was that supposed to mean? “I don’t do that!” Or was he right? Ugh, she didn't want to think about it. Growling, she ran a hand through her hair and sneered when the young vampire chortled and threw himself on the bed. “Mason—”  
  
The vampire in question cut her off by taking the box out of her hands and setting it on a nearby table. Then he glared at her, his eyes little more than slivers of dark clouds.  
  
With a huff, Dezh rolled her eyes. “Fine. The blood’s mine, all right? I took the Bane so it’d rebuild and Bentley could take more. Took a while, but it worked.”  
  
“It took almost three hours,” Felix complained. “And he’s been here for the last fifteen minutes pestering me about what we’re doing.”  
  
Dezh never looked the young vampire’s way, but his words made her frown. Fifteen minutes? Why? Mason never gave a crap what anyone else did. Well, unless it affected the team. Which, she supposed, explained his interest in this. Well, that was easy enough to deal with. “It’s nothing that’ll hurt the team.”  
  
“Then why the hell do you need eight pints of your blood at once?”  
  
After she spent a few moments fumbling for an answer that didn’t spill the whole truth of her endeavor, Felix answered for her. “It’s for us. All of Unit Bravo.”  
  
Her eyes shot to him. God, he sucked at keeping secrets! “Goddammit, Felix! What the hell?”  
  
“You would’ve told him, anyway!”  
  
“You made them for us?”  
  
Mason’s question brought her eyes back to his, but all she could manage was a curt nod. Fuck. This whole damned thing would be for naught if he told Adam.  
  
“Because of the agent that was killed the other night?”  
  
“I” –rubbing her forehead with one hand, she sighed loudly— “Yeah. Well, I mean—”  
  
“I already have four half-pint bottles,” Felix offered, ignoring her growl and looking to Mason. “She gave them to me a couple of days after you were attacked. And made me promise to take one or two when we all patrol, and all four when we go anywhere without her.” He snorted, flashing a smile when she glared daggers at him. “Don’t glare at me. You would’ve told him that, too. Eventually. If I don’t help out, we’ll be here all night. And you promised we could go to that new bar in the city!”  
  
Mason’s head swiveled back around toward her. “Four _half_ -pints?”  
  
Grunting, Dezh resisted the urge to bang her head into the door. Knowing her luck, even if she knocked herself unconscious, Mason would be there hounding her for answers when she woke up. “The day after I first did patrols alone, I went to Bentley to get him to take blood for you guys. He only took a pint because that’s the max he could take. I didn’t think that was enough, so I made him take the pint the Agency had stored in case of emergency. Then we split it all up so there’d be one for each of you.”  
  
Mason just stared at her with an expression she couldn’t even begin to decipher.  
  
“I tried to tell her she should’ve left the pint,” Felix offered, after a lengthy silence.  
  
That had been an annoying conversation, to say the least. “And I told _you_ that I’d rather you guys have it.”  
  
Felix snorted. “With all the crazy things you do, you’ll probably need it, at some point.”  
  
“Felix,” she growled, “go take the bloody box to your place and hide it before Adam and Nate get back and I end up having to deal with them bitching at me, too.”  
  
Mason cocked an eyebrow at her, but she pretended not to notice. She supposed he wasn’t bitching at her, but it sure as hell felt like it. The bloody man only asked her questions about things she didn’t want to share.  
  
“What about the bar?” the young vampire asked, rolling off the bed to his feet. “You promised.”  
  
An indulgent smile lifted the corners of her lips, and she nodded.  
  
That earned her a pleased grin. “Meet me there.”  
  
Meet him there? Was he daft? “No. I don’t even know how to get there. And—”  
  
“Mason’ll ride with you and navigate.”  
  
Dezh’s head spun to Mason, who just cocked an eyebrow at her. “If you don’t want me to go—”  
  
“I want you to come with us,” she interrupted, rolling her lips together when the words came out in a rush. Somehow, she doubted her nonchalant shrug was believable. “I mean, if you want to.” Of course, he just smirked at her, his gray eyes sparkling with amusement. She spun back toward Felix as he brushed by her to grab the box. “But you have to come back here and ride with us, too. You said it’s on the other side of the city and—”  
  
“Stop worrying so much, I’ll be fine. And I’ll still get there before you two will.” He flashed her a grin. “Besides, your backseat’s too cramped.”  
  
“It’s roomier than it looks,” Mason said dryly.  
  
Dezh coughed to hide a chuckle, her muscles straining against the smile that quickly spread on her face. The amused look Felix gave her just made her smile more. Dammit, it made her face hurt. “Felix, you need to—”  
  
“All right already!” he interrupted, rolling his eyes and moving toward the door. “I’ll come back here first.” At the door, he paused and looked from her to Mason and back again. A mischievous grin spread on his face. “Just don’t do it on my bed while I’m gone.”  
  
“Felix!” By the time she spoke his name, he was already gone.  
  
“You told him what that stuff does to you?”  
  
Spinning back to face Mason, Dezh narrowed her gaze. “What?”  
  
He eyed her for a moment, then snorted. “Bane. You told him the effects it has on you?”  
  
“Not all of them.” A deep breath did nothing to ease the tension building in her shoulders and neck. “I didn’t want him to think I was giving you all poisoned blood or something, so I told him how it makes my blood even better for you guys. I was gonna leave it at that, but then he was worried I’d die from blood loss if I had too much taken at once. He wouldn’t drop it until I finally told him it makes me heal faster.”  
  
Again, he glared at her, his expression unreadable save for his usual perpetual scowl. “Why not just tell him all of it?” He barely waited a beat before adding, “Why not just tell the rest of the _team_ all of it? About Bane, and all these bottles of blood you made for us?” Before she could answer, he snorted. “You don’t trust us?”  
  
At first, all she could do was glare at him. How could he even ask that? “Are you fucking kidding me?” she snapped. “I can count on one hand the number of people I actually trust, Mason, and all four of you are on that list. If I _didn’t_ trust you guys, we wouldn’t even be standing here right now, because after we caught Murphy, I’d have been gone. And no one—not even the Agency—would’ve been able to find me.”  
  
One brow raised slightly, his lips twisting into a mocking smirk. “All the blood you lost today must’ve affected your brain, sweetheart.”  
  
Her smirk mirrored his and she barked a laugh. “I know how to disappear, Mason. And I could do it now, if I wanted.” They had no idea what she could do—or where she learned how to do such things—and they never would. Shaking her head, she let out a long breath. “But yes, I trust you guys.”  
  
“Then why all the secrets?”  
  
“Because you guys don’t trust _me_.” The words came out before she could stop them. Admitting it aloud caused strange emotions to bubble beneath the surface, emotions she didn’t feel like dealing with. She forced them down, but more words tumbled from her lips, unbidden. “The _one_ fucking time I can actually protect all of you from something, and what happens? You all just mock me and act like I’m an idiot for suggesting a weak-ass human could do _anything_ to help you.”  
  
“That’s not what—”  
  
“An agent was killed the other night, Mason,” she continued, unable to stop. “That could’ve been…” A lump came to her throat. _You_. Or Adam or Felix or Nate. Thinking about it made her feel ill. Averting her gaze, she sighed. “I’ll do whatever I can to make sure that doesn’t happen to you guys. And since you all refused to let me be the one out there until these assholes get caught, stockpiling my blood was the only way I could think of to help.”  
  
His scowl deepened. “So why keep _that_ a secret?”  
  
“Seriously?” When he nodded, she huffed and started pacing the room. Was he joking? He had to be. She let out a soft grunt when she turned and crashed into him. As she fell backward, his arm shot out and caught her around the waist, just as it had that day months ago at the hospital.  
  
A quick yank brought her body against his. For a scant few moments, he held her there, his slight smirk a clear sign he noticed her quickened breathing and the way her body started to heat from being so close to him. Suddenly, he released her. Eyed her expectantly.  
  
Was there any point in resisting? Letting out an annoyed breath, she finally answered, “Adam would’ve flat out refused to take it and gotten his panties in a wad that I did it. Nate would’ve refused, too, though he’d have been nicer about it. And you?” She looked up at him and snorted. “You would’ve scoffed and said you don’t need it.”  
  
Silence fell between them, his expression indecipherable. Another smirk settled on his lips before he finally spoke. “No, I would’ve said I’d rather get it from the source.”  
  
She couldn’t help but smile at that, though it quickly faded. “And what if something happens and I’m not there?”  
  
Tilting his head, he brushed one finger over her cheek. The light touch caused her breath to catch in her chest. Sent a shiver up her spine, a shiver that intensified when he leaned closer. “Planning on going somewhere?”  
  
The question nearly made her laugh—it wasn’t like she’d ever leave the team. No, that’s not at all how it would end. Forcing the thought from her mind, she shook her head. “No. But I know you guys do stuff without me, like patrolling during the day. And the Agency could send you on some other assignment.” She let out a tense breath. “If I hadn’t been there that night when they attacked you…” Unable to finish that sentence, she trailed off and frowned.  
  
He said nothing to that and, instead, just held her gaze. Time seemed to stand still. Seconds could’ve been minutes, for all she knew. She was used to the sparks that bounced between them, to the heat, and even to Mason’s abrasiveness. But this—whatever was charging the air between them now—was different. Like warm, still waters, calming except for the undercurrents that threatened to drag her into an abyss. What the hell was going through his head? She’d have given every drop of her blood to be able to read his thoughts right then. And to be able to breathe without feeling like an elephant was sitting on her damned chest.  
  
Finally, his lips quirked up. Somehow, he managed to move closer to her, pressing tighter against her body, and the air between them changed again, to something far more familiar. His hot breath tickled her skin when he asked, “Sure you aren’t just looking for an excuse to be around me more, sweetheart?”  
  
“You think I find you _that_ irresistible?” she scoffed, her words conflicting with the smile that found its way to her lips.  
  
Lithe fingers slid around her waist, to the small of her back. “You forget all that whimpering and begging you were doing the other night out in the middle of the woods?”  
  
Heat bloomed on her cheeks, despite her best efforts to stop it. Not that she could deny it—the bloody man had driven her out of her mind. And had done it so _easily_. “I—”  
  
If anything, his smile grew cockier when he interrupted her, “And then even more after we got to your place.”  
   
Yes, she had done it then, too. How could she not, when he kept her on the edge until she completely lost control? She squirmed at the memory—how one of his hands had held her wrists together, pinning them above her head, while his other teased her to tears—but pressed so tightly against him, the friction only served to send jolts of electricity through her entire body. Still, his smugness raised her hackles. “I can resist you, if I want,” she dared.  
  
“You sure about that?” he asked, sliding his hand lower. “I bet by the time Felix gets back here, I can have you begging for it.”  
  
Jaw tightening, Dezh swallowed hard. _Don’t do it, you’ll lose,_ a voice in the back of her head warned. Well, what the fuck did it know?  
  
He moved his other hand to her hip and let it roam, his thumb brushing over the crease of her inner thigh. “You wanna bet me, sweetheart?” he purred, his mouth so close his breath heated her lips.  
  
It took more effort than it should have to keep from closing that distance to kiss him. From arching her back toward him and touching him. From shoving him on the damned bed and fucking him until she couldn’t walk. _Shit, shit, shit._ No. If she had to bite off her own tongue to keep control of herself, she’d win this one. “You’re on,” she growled softly.  
  
The smile that came to Mason’s lips would’ve been more fitting on the devil himself. “You know” –his fingertips skimmed up both sides of her body, the touch painstakingly slow and featherlight— “I need to start collecting on these bets. After this one, it’ll be seven.”  
  
Dezh’s eyes fluttered closed at the feel of his breath against her ear. At the all-too-distinct scent of sandalwood and cigarettes, though the latter was much, much weaker lately. It took a few moments for what he’d said to register. Did he say seven? “It’s only—” Her words faded into a quiet whimper in the back of her throat when his knee wedged between her legs then quickly shifted away. Goddammit, she couldn’t think, but his deep chuckle made her try again. “Only f-five now.”  
  
“Did you sleep last night?” he asked, trailing his fingertips down the side of her neck.  
   
“Mmhmm,” was the only answer she could manage. He only had two hands, so why the hell did it feel like he was touching her everywhere at once? Someone purred, and it took her a moment to realize it was her.  
  
“Then it’s six.”  
  
Any thoughts she had of arguing faded when he suddenly moved closer to kiss her. He stopped just before their lips met, eyes dancing with amusement at her soft growl. When he abruptly pulled away, she struggled not to follow. To keep from reaching for him. Groaning, she stumbled backward and bumped into something. The wall or a piece of furniture. Not that it mattered. She no longer had a clue about anything around her, _except_ Mason.  
  
“Trying to escape?” He waited for her to shake her head—which she did much too vehemently—then snorted. “Then come here.”  
  
A smirk played on her lips. She liked this game. “Come and get me.”  
   
For a handful of seconds, he didn’t move a muscle. His half-lidded gaze held her captive more than any cage could have, making her breath come in uneven spurts.  
  
Dezh swallowed hard and opened her mouth. Whatever she’d intended to say crescendoed into a squeak when he flashed toward her, shoving her against the wall. A nuclear explosion went off in her gut, sending waves of red-hot fire coursing through her veins. Her hands were on him in an instant, gripping into his ass to pull him closer.  
  
Fingers tangled through her hair, tugging her head back. And then his mouth was on hers, hard and bruising, tongue sliding between her lips only to meet hers halfway. He pulled away a moment later, leaving her wanting more. So much more. The hand in her hair kept her from moving to get it, though. “Say the word, sweetheart,” he goaded, the words reminding her of their bet, “and we can keep going.”  
  
Grinding her teeth did nothing to quell the aching need he’d ignited within her. “Mason—”  
  
“Or,” he interrupted, running a hand up her inner thigh with meticulous slowness, “I can keep teasing till you beg me for it.” To prove his point, he brushed his fingers between her legs so briefly she wondered if she’d imagined it. It was enough, though, enough to make her shift her hips to seek more. Only to be denied.  
  
Pride warred with desire and she bit her bottom lip hard to keep from giving in to the latter.  
  
He let out a soft hum, drawing her gaze to his. “Want me to bite that for you?”  
  
_Yes, and anything else you want to bite._ A moan rumbled in the back of her throat when his fingers glided over the bare skin at the curve of her spine. How had he gotten his hand inside her shirt without her noticing?  
  
Smiling like a wolf ready to take down its prey, he slipped his hand lower, into the waistband of her pants. Strong fingers squeezed the flesh of her ass, then moved back between her legs to tease more. And then he stopped. _Again_. It left her gasping for air.  
  
Much more and she knew she’d resort to the exact thing she swore she wouldn’t do. Admitting he was right was better than actually begging, right? _I don’t beg!_ Fuck it, what difference did it make if she lost one more bet? The only thing he ever wanted from her was sex, and she already gave that willingly. Willingly? Hell, she practically threw herself at him every time he walked by. His fingers distracted her again, making her entire body throb with need. “Fine,” she moaned. “You—”  
  
The door slammed open, cutting her off mid-surrender. “Let’s go!”  
  
Dezh let out frustrated growl as Mason stepped away from her. Without him pressed against her, her knees nearly buckled. “Great timing, Felix,” she muttered, steadying herself against the wall. Then it hit her. A grin spread on her face and she looked up at Mason. “I won.”  
  
“One out of seven,” he said with a snort. “Your record sucks, sweetheart. And you can barely stand. Two more seconds and you’d have—”  
  
“Well, there weren’t two more seconds, and I _didn’t_.” She grunted. “And it’s one out of six.”  
  
“What are you two talking about?” Felix sniffed the air and wrinkled his nose. “And what were you doing? It smells like—”  
  
“Do _not_ finish that sentence, Felix,” Dezh grumbled, pushing away from the wall. She stumbled forward and glared up at Mason when he growled that it was seven. Instead of arguing—she’d save that for later—she looked to Felix. “Adam and Nate didn’t see the box, right?”  
  
The young vampire snorted. “No, they weren’t even there. So, let’s _go_.”  
  
Nodding, she let out a long breath and followed Felix as he started out the door. She still felt overheated, despite the interruption. And edgy as hell, thanks to all of Mason’s teasing. Well, there’d be no relief for that anytime soon.  
  
The thought made her groan, the soft noise quickly drowned out by Mason’s deep chuckle. Though he said nothing, she knew he was right on her heels, so close she could feel the air crackling between them. As tempting as it was, she resisted the urge to look back at him. Sure, he knew the effect he had on her, but letting him see her eyes would just feed his already bloated ego.  
  
Damned vampires and their bloody super-senses. She’d been practicing hiding some physical responses—and had gotten quite good at forcing her heartbeat to slow to the point where it was barely beating—but hiding signs she was turned on was impossible. Otherwise remaining silent, she practically stomped to her car as she pondered various options. Her thoughts drifted to her discussion with Bentley earlier. Could he really find a way to make the effects of Bane permanent for her? If anyone could do it, it was him.  
  
“What’re you smirking at?” Mason growled as he opened the car door.  
  
Dezh eyed him for a second, glancing away as Felix clambered into the backseat. Had Felix not been there to hear what she had to say, she might have answered the question. Still, she knew the response she’d have gotten from Mason: an eye roll.  
  
For good reason, probably. Bane could definitely make her more useful to the team, and that was reason enough to want the effects to be permanent, but would it really help her deal with Mason? Her smirk faded. He’d still be able to sense her reactions to him, and even though it enhanced her senses to be similar to his, what difference did it make? After all, it wasn’t like he had a strong reaction to her one way or the other. But at least with Bane, she could keep up with him in other ways. Kind of.  
  
“Nothing important,” she finally answered flatly, getting into the car and trying to clear her mind of the whole idea. Unless Bentley actually managed to do what he intended—which was highly improbable—it was pointless to waste time dwelling on it.  
  
Besides, she had some drinking to do.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since we're nearing the end of this part of the story, have a little preview for chapter 18: 
> 
>  
> 
> “No games that involve hitting each other,” Adam said with a sigh, “or I will pull this car over and put an end to it myself.” 
> 
> Dezh just snickered, seeming more like herself again. “Yes, Dad.”
> 
> Mason snorted a laugh at that, then laughed again when Adam glared at them both in the rearview mirror.
> 
> Nate shook his head and sighed. “Don’t you know any games that aren’t violent or vulgar?”


End file.
